Columbia  ^^uitier^ttp 

THE  LIBRARIES 


JESUIT  JUGGLING. 


FORTY 
POPISH     FRAUDS 

DETECTED    AND    DISCLOSED 


BY    RICHARD    BAXTER, 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  SAINT'S  EVERLASTING  REST. 


FIRST    AMERICAN    EDITION, 

WITH  AN 

INTRODUCTORY   ADDRESS 


"  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of  the  moutii  of 
tho  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  false  prophet ;  for  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  which  go 
forth  unto  the  whole  world." — John. 


NEW- YORK: 

CRAIGHEAD   &  ALLEN, 

H.    GRIFFIN    &    CO.,    EZRA    COLLIER,    HOWE    &    BAT1». 

BOSTON, GOULD,    KENDALL    &    LINCOLN. 

PITTSBURG, P.    PATTERSON. 

CINCININATI, COREY  ^  V»  EBSTEW. 

1835. 


t3(o 


1?,  3  2.^ 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1835, 
in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


CRAIGHEAD  AND  ALLRN,  PRINTERS,  359  BR00ME-9T,  N.  T. 


THIS     VOLUME, 

WHICH    DISCLOSES    THE 

JUGGLING    OF    JESUITS, 

BY  RICHARD  BAXTER ; 

'*AND    BY     IT,    HE    BEING    DEAD    YET     SPEAKETU*." 
IS    AFFECTIONATELY  INSCRIBED  TO 

ALL    JUNIOR    THEOLOGIANS; 

WHO    ALREADY    ARE    CONSECRATED 
TO  THE 

«  JVf/JV/STijy  OF  RECO^rCILMTIOJ^," 

OR  WHO  ARE  PREPARING 
"  EARNESTLY     TO     CONTEND     FOR 

THE     FAITH 

WHICH     WAS     ONCE     DELIVERED     TO     THE     SAINTS." 

WITH  DEVOUT  SOLICITUDE, 

THAT  THEY  MAY  NOT  "FIGHT 

THE  DRAGON; 

AND   THE   BEAST; 

AND  THE   FALSE  PROPHET ; 

AS     ONE     WHO     BEATETH     THE    AIR," 

BUT    THAT    THEY    MAY    BE 

"  MORE    THAN 

CONQUERORS 

THROUGH    HIM    WHO    LOVED    US  !  " 

NeiO'York,  Qclober  12,  IS35. 


INDEX. 


Introductoiiy  Address, 
Epistle  Dedicatory, 
Preface, 

Adoration  of  Anj^cls, 
AU)i(^onsos, 
Allcifiance  tlenied, 
Ambiguity  of  Romanists, 
ArijuiniMits  against.  Popery, 
Baptism,  lloiicncration. 
Belief  of  the  Church, 
Belief  of  the  Truth, 
Beza, 

Bohemians, 
Boy  of  Bilson, 
Brothels  licensed  at  Rome, 
Calumnies  on  Protestant 

Ministeis, 
Calumny  of  Papists, 
Calvin, 

Canonized  Saints, 
Catholic  Church  and  the 
Popedom  contrasted, 
Celibacy  of  Priests, 
Character  of  Popes, 
Character  of  Rome, 
Christian  Profession, 
Church  of  Rome  ceased, 
Concubines  of  Priests, 
Continuance  of  Popery, 
Corporeal  presence  of  Christ 

in  the  mass, 
Corrui)tions  of  Authors, 
Council  of  Lyons, 
Controversies  of  Roman 

Priests, 
Crimes  of  Popes, 
Decision  of  Controversies, 
Denial  of  Faith, 
Denial  of  Marriage, 
Despotism  of  Popery, 
Divisions  in  the  Popedom, 
i^^etection  of  Jesuits, 
Dispensation  for  oaths. 
Dispensations  for  conceal- 
ment. 


Pa^c,  Pafre 

7|End  of  controversy,  83 

25  Equivocation  of  Papists,  298 

33  l'>rors  in  faith  overthrow 
164|  Popery, 

310  Rncrnnins  IV.  Pope, 

56  Evan<j;elical  Ministry, 
109  Evidence  of  Scripture, 

49  Evidence  of  the  senses, 
272  Extirpation  of  heretics, - 
161  FaitlV,  love  and  obedience, 
263  False  allegations  of  Jesuits,    269 
196  False  doctrines  of  Ronian- 
310  ism, 

184  False  interpretations, 
218  False  miracles, 

JFasting  among  Papists, 
200  Forgiveness  of  Sin  by  Rom 
182        'ish  Priests, 
191  Fraudulent  divisions, 
213  Fri  irs  and  Monks, 

|General  councils, 
129  Godly  men  not  Papists, 
22-2  Head  of  the  church, 

63  Henry  IV,  of  France, 
221  Hugo's  account  of  Lyons, 
263  Hojuenots, 

68Hucnan  depravity  encour- 
225I         aged  by  Roman  Priests,  261 


75 

62 

203 

288 

69 

56^ 
265 


267 
171 
184 
267 

273 
295 
221 
228 
49 
129 
312 
220 
310 


236:Ignorance  invincible, 

[Image  worship, 
271|lmpeifecfion  of  works, 
178  Implicit  faith, 
220|Inti(lel  Popes, 

jinterprclation  of  Scripture, 
200, Invocation  of  Saints, 
219,lrisli  Massacre, 
107!Jansenists  and  Jesuits, 
275  Jesuit  doctrines, 
273JJesuit  principles, 
284| Jesuit  proselytism, 

66:Jesuit  reproaches, 
3001  John  XII.  Pope, 
267  John  XXIII.  Pope, 

Judge  of  controversies, 
297'julius  III.  Pope, 


Diversity  of  opinion,         152,  280:  Justification  by  faithj 
Divisions  in  the  Popedom,         66  Law  of  Chiist, 
Doctrines  contrary  to  Scrip-  Legends, 

lure,  76  Lusher, 

1* 


255 

162 

263 

259 

69 

250 

163 

310 

95 

268 

95 

302 

198 

62 

61 

81 

220 

265 

289 

180 

168 


VI 


INDEX. 


Page  Pogi 

Lyons,                                      220|  Praying  for  the  dead,  164 

Massacre  of  Huguenots,        310  Pretended  Miracles,  184 

Mental  reservation,                  298|Priestly  celibacy,  222 

Meritorius  good  works,           278  Principles  of  faith,  100 

Miracles,                            180,  184  Principles  of  Papists,  78 


Monks  and  Friars, 

Murder  of  Governors, 

Mystery  of  Jesuitism, 

Novel  opinions. 

Novelty  of  Popish  corrup- 
tions, 

Novelty  of  Protestantism, 

Nuns, 

Oaths  derided. 

Oaths  nullified, 

Opinions  ot  councils, 

Opus  operatum. 

Original  sin, 

Papal  artifices, 

Papal  decretals. 

Papal  innovations, 

Papal  sovereignty, 

Papal  unity, 

Pardon  of  sin. 

Pastoral  authority, 

Paul  II.  Pope, 

Perjury, 

Persecution, 

Personal  holiness, 

Peter  not  Vicar  of  Christ, 

Pius  I[.  Pope, 

Popery  contrary  to  the 

senses, 
Popery  contrary  to  unity. 
Popery  is  antichrislian. 
Popery  past  amendment, 
Popes  are  antichrist. 
Popish  ceremonies. 
Popish  concealment. 
Popish  confusion. 
Popish  deceitfulness. 
Popish  forgeries. 
Popish  perjury. 
Popish  sanctity. 
Popish  slaughters. 
Popish  succession  a  novelty. 
Popish  treason. 
Popish  unity. 
Prayers  to  the  dead, 


22llP:ohibilion  of  the  Scriptures,  264 
3041  Proofs  of  Papists,  78 

95lProtestant  divisions,  89  i^ 

230'Purgatory,  266 

Renunciation  of  Christian 
226;         love,  55 

142  Richlieu's  catalogue  of  errors,  270 
220  Roman  Hierarchy  no  part 
306'         of  the  true  church, 
299;  Roman  Saints, 
157  Romish  ancestors, 
263  Romish  legends, 
263  Scandalous  sins, 


135 
267 
282 
180 
264 
132 
67 
216 
255 
131 
305 
265 
249 
203 
142 
180 
120 
198 
251 
135 


295  Schism, 
57  Schisms  among  Papists, 

234  Simony  of  Popes, 

131  Sins  ot  ignorance, 
89  Sovereignty  of  the  Pope, 

266  Spanish  armada, 

266, Spiritual  worship, 

219,Succession  of  doctrines, 

299iSuccession  of  ministers, 

308  Succession  of  Popes, 

266JThccla's  miracles, 

291iTradiiion, 

219  Translations  of  the  Bible, 
Transubstantiation, 

69  Uncertainty  of  Romanism, 

45  Uncharitableness  of  Popery,  252 
248  Uncleanness  sanctioned  by 
312  Popery,  225 

288  Unfair  disputants,  293 

225|T'm godly  Popes,  215 

297|T  iiiiolincss  of  Rome,  60 

1 1 6j  r  1 1  married  Priests,  221  \/ 

187  Veneration  of  relics,  166 

178j  Venial  sins,  264 

303  Vices  of  Romish  Priests,         220 
210  Vi'/ors  of  Jesuits,  297 

308  Wuldenses,  310 

153  Woaltti  of  convents,  202 

303  Wicked  men  not  Christian 

64  believers,  275 

163  William  Perry,  184 


ADDRESS 

TO    THE    MINISTERS,    OFFICERS,    AND    MEMBERS 

OF    ALL    THE    PROTESTANT    CHURCHES 

IN    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

The  rapid  increase  of  the  Papal  Apostacy,  and  of 
the  principk'S  of  Jesuitism,  in  our  Republic,  is  the  most 
astonishing  modern  development  of  "the  Mystery  of 
Iniquity."  Viewed  in  reference  only  to  civil  society, 
nothing  can  be  more  contradictory  to  all  reasonable 
anticipation,  than  that  Popery  should  have  been  able 
to  force  an  admission  into  our  community;  much  less 
that  it  should  have  been  acceptable  to  American  Citi- 
zens. Our  whole  national  polity  is  so  widely  severed 
from  the  entire  system  of  Romanism,  under  every  pos- 
sible modification,  that  the  correct  motives,  and  the  true 
causes,  should  be  ascertained  and  specified,  for  that 
astounding  aberration  from  rectitude,  self-interest  and 
decorum,  the  existence  of  which,  the  present  appalling 
predominance  of  Popery,  and  the  evident  extending 
sway  of  the  Roman  Pontiff'  throughout  our  land,  so 
unequivocally  shows. 

The  inquiry  is  often  propounded — how  can  the  ex- 
traordinar}'-  spread  of  Popery,  and  the  manifest  multi- 
plication of  the  Papists  be  rationally  accounted  for  in 
the  present  state  of  our  country  ?  It  is  often  said  in 
reply,  that  the  increase  of  Papal  vassals  in  the  United 
States,  results  entirely  from  foreign  immigration,  and 
the  expenditure  of  European  money.  Admit  that  the 
former  of  those  causes  augments  the  number  of  Roman 
devotees ;  and  that  the  latter  enables  the  Jesuits  to  erect 
male  and  female  convents,  and  seminaries — neverthe- 
less both  do  not  exhibit  the  whole  existing  relative 


viii  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

position    of  the  Pontifical  authority  in  our   confede- 
rated republics. 

Two  anomalous  facts  undeniably  declare,  that  other 
causes  are  in  operation  which  give  life  and  encourage- 
ment to  the  efforts  that  Roman  Priests  and  disguised 
Jesuits  make  to  subjugate  these  States  to  the  Italian 
Pontiff.  Neither  the  crowds  of  Papists  who  are  con- 
stantly arriving,  nor  the  sums  of  money  which  are 
regularly  transmitted  from  Europe,  at  all  account  for 
the  peculiar  favor  with  which  Romanism  is  regarded, 
and  the  special  solicitude  which  so  many  citizens  ex- 
emplify to  propitiate  its  priests.  Nor  do  those  princi- 
ples afford  any  plausible  solution  of  another  mysterious 
circumstance  ;  that  the  whole  body  of  American  citi- 
zens are  manifestly  imbued  with  an  overpowering  dread 
of  the  malign  influence,  and  appalling  machinations  of 
the  Papists. 

There  has  been  a  general  neglect  of  that  department 
of  ecclesiastical  literature  which  comprises  the  history 
of  the  Christian  church,  and  especially  of  that  portion  of 
it  which  appertains  to  the  Papal  hierarchy.  Except  in 
a  few  more  prominent  stations.  Popery  was  almost  un- 
known in  the  United  States,  until  subsequent  to  our 
last  contest  with  Britain  ;  nor  had  its  progress  attracted 
any  marked  interest,  until  about  six  years  ago,  it  was 
first  proposed,  that  an  attempt  should  be  made  to  direct 
the  attention  of  the  Protestant  churches  to  the  charac- 
ter, wiles  and  pernicious  acts  of  the  grand  apostate  ene- 
my of  the  kingdom  of  God.  From  that  cause,  the  re- 
cent polemical  discussions  concerning  the  "lying  won- 
ders and  strong  delusion"  o(  Pontifical  Rome  have 
either  been  disregarded  or  opposed ;  and  there  is  an 
almost  universal  dearth  of  information  respecting  the 
Scriptural  prophecies  and  delineations  of  that  enemy  of 
**  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,"  who  is  generically  de- 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS.  IX 

nominated  "the  Man  of  sin;"  the  "scarlet  colored 
Beast  full  of  names  of  hlasphemy,  having  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns" — and  "Mystery,  Babylon  the  great ; 
Mother  of  Harlots  and  the  abominations  of  the  earth." 

It  is  also  not  a  little  perplexing,  that  the  Apocalypse, 
to  the  reading  and  hearing  of  the  words  of  which  book 
alone  of  the  sacred  canon,  a  unique  blessing  is  attached 
by  the  "  Faithful  Witness,  and  prince  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth" — the  Apocalypse,  or  the  revelation  of  John  is 
far  less  studied  in  its  connection  with  the  past  annals 
of  the  Christian  church,  than  any  other  portion  of  "  the 
oracles  of  God."  Hence,  there  is  an  almost  universal 
ignorance  or  misconception  of  the  genuine  attributes 
and  ungodly  proceedings  of  the  Romish  "  seducing 
spirits,  and  false  teachers,  who  speak  lies  in  hypocrisy." 

The  predominating  sensibility  throughout  the  Amer- 
ican Protestant  churches  is  an  undefinable  dread  of  the 
Pope's  vassals  who  are  domiciliated  among  us.  From 
which  cause,  public  controverted  discussions  of  the  dog- 
mas, superstitions,  frauds,  and  corruptions  of  Popery 
and  Jesuitism  are  sternly  counteracted.  Publications 
both  in  the  form  of  volumes  and  periodicals  are  slighted 
and  decried.  Houses  of  prayer  are  premptorily  refused 
for  the  purpose  of  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in 
illustration  of  Scriptural  predictions — and  not  only  is 
every  effort  to  arouse  the  slumbering  disciples  repelled ; 
but  those  Watchmen,  who  "  see  the  sword  coming  upon 
the  land,  and  blow  the  trumpet  to  warn  the  people," 
are  censured  and  denounced,  as  if  they  were  disturbers 
of  the  public  peace. 

This  is  not  the  work  of  our  Romish  inveterate  ad- 
versaries. Having  latterly  discovered  that  their  scorn- 
ful superstition  of  Protestants  excited  both  disgust  and 
alarm,  the  Jesuits  now  have  become  comparatively 
lamb-like,  and  "  beguile  with  enticing  words."     They 


X  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

perceive  that  the  cause  of  their  foreign  despot,  the  Ro- 
man Pontiff,  is  more  efficiently  promoted  in  this  republic, 
by  their  deceptions  than  by  their  menaces  ;  and  through 
their  covert  artifices,  than  with  open  assault.  The  com- 
bined apathy  and  opposition  of  Protestant  Ministers 
and  other  influential  professed  adherents  of  the  Refor- 
mation are  consolidating  the  Papal  system,  and  facili- 
tate its  enlargement  and  sway  throughout  the  United 
vStates,  far  more  than  all  the  priest-ridden  multitudes, 
who  are  transported  from  Europe:  and  all  the  treas- 
ures which  pontifical  ambition  and  ignorant  bigotry 
can  squander,  upon  the  marvellous  design  to  subjugate 
the  minds  and  hearts,  the  bodies  and  souls  of  American 
citizens  to  the  accursed  iron  yoke  of  Pope  Gregory. 
Whence  does  this  slavish  fear  of  the  Papists  eman- 
ate? There  is  a  deep-rooted  impression  that  the  vas- 
sals of  Rome  are  a  turbulent,  lawless,  and  ferocious 
confederacy,  who  are  impelled  by  an  unpricipled  priest- 
hood. What  are  the  Jesuits  and  Dominicans  ?  Men 
who  know  no  authority  but  the  supreme  pontifical  man- 
date ;  who  are  united  to  mankind  by  none  of  the  nat- 
ural bonds  of  relationship;  who  have  no  motive  of  ac- 
tion but  personal  indulgence,  and  the  aggrandizement 
of  their  craft;  and  who  being  exempt  from  all  govern- 
ment, except  that  of  their  ecclesiastical  superiors,  and 
having  no  permanent  residence,  because  they  are  al- 
ways subject  to  the  order  of  removal  from  their  prelat- 
ical  master ;  constantly,  and  in  every  place,  are  ihe 
enemies  of  all  that  portion  of  the  human  family  who 
will  not  submit  to  their  infernal  despotism.  Therefore, 
timid  Protestants  conclude,  that  it  is  preferable  not  to 
irritate  the  Beast,  lest  they  should  feel  the  compound 
anguish  arising  from  the  Bear's  gripe,  and  the  Lion's 
mouth,  inflicted  with  leopard-like  suddenness  and  fero- 
city.    Baxter  has  luminously  depicted  that  absurdity. 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS,  XI 

"  Some  think  that  it  is  the  safest  way  to  please  tlie  Pope 
and  Jesuits;  and  so  will  be  Papists,"  or  support  their 
cause,  "on  the  same  terms  that  some  of  the  Indiana 
worship  the  devil,  because  he  is  so  naught,  that  he  may 
not  hurt  them."  If  we  reflect  upon  the  pi'esent  situa- 
tion of  Jesuitism  in  this  republic,  it  is  scarcely  credible, 
that  the  revered  author  of  the  "Juggling  of  Jesuits," 
one  hundred  and  eighty  years  ago  could  have  so  pre- 
cisely described  existing  realities.  Vast  numbers  of 
Protestants,  act  upon  the  same  principle,  as  the  man 
who  bowed  to  the  images  of  Jupiter  and  Satan.  When 
he  was  reproved  for  his  infatuation  ;  he  retorted;  "  It 
is  impossible  to  know  what  may  happen,  or  where  we 
may  go  ;   so  it  is  best  to  have  friends  in  every  place." 

But  who  can  estimate  the  mischiefs  that  follow  from 
the  large  donations  which  are  made  not  only  by  merely 
nominal  Protestants,  but  also  by  actual  members  of  the 
Reformed  churches,  towards  the  erection  of  those  idol- 
atrous temples  where  the  Romish  superstitious  cere- 
monial is  performed  ?    In  many  places  throughout  our 
land,  the  sites  of  the  edifices  or  materials  for  the  erec- 
tion of  them,   or    money  to  pay  the  mechanics,  have 
been  profusely  lavished    by  the  avowed  followers  of 
Christ,  to  complete  Mass  houses  and   Jesuit  male  and 
female  convents.     To  admit  that  those  donors  thus  be- 
stowed their  gifts  from  a  profound    non-acquaintance 
with  Popery  is  an  impeachment  of  their  rationality; 
and  yet  to  suppose  that  they  have  thrown  away  their 
superflu.ous  wealth  from  a  predilection  for.  Romanism, 
or  from  a  supposition  that  it  is  Christianity,  altogether 
makes  void   their   sincerity.    ^Whatever  may  be  the 
cause,  the  efiects  are  most  pernicious.     The  energies 
of  the    Protestant   champions  are  enfeebled,  and  the 
power  of  the  Roman   Priests  is  invigorated  and  be- 
comes more  extensive  and  unshaken. 


Xii  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  more  direct  "  war 
upon  the  Beast,"  in  America,  nearly  six  years  have 
passed  away  ;  and  two  facts  have  been  elicited  from  the 
occurrences  which  have  transpired.  The  vast  majority 
of  American  citizens,  and  even  of  American  christians 
are  nearly  altogether  ignorant  of  Popery — and  a  spuri- 
ous liberalism  prevails  throughout  our  country ;  which 
unfolds  itself  nearly  in  our  Lord's  graphical  descrip- 
tion of  the  ancient  Jewish  blind  guides — "  who  strained 
at  a  gnat  and  swallowed  a  camel." 

It  is  demonstrable,  that  each  of  those  principles,  and 
especially  both  them  conjoined,  must  have  a  decisively 
injurious  tendency  upon  the  churches  of  Christ.  Po- 
pery, through  their  joint  operation,  is  considered  to  be 
either  harmless  and  so  may  be  tolerated  without  oppo- 
sition ;  or  it  is  viewed  as  a  species  of  modified  Christi- 
anity, which  demands  our  occasional  conformity  with 
its  principles  and  ritual.  Such  a  contradictory  inter- 
pretation of  Scripture  can  arise  only  from  entire  igno- 
rance of  the  tenth,  and  the  subsequent  chapters  of  the 
Apocalypse.  However  incompetent  through  our  finite 
judgments,  we  may  be  to  determine  the  times  and  sea- 
sons, and  also  some  of  the  prophetical  figures,  with 
the  application  of  them  ;  yet  one  thing  is  certain  as  de- 
rived from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  sacred  volume; 
that  idolatry  is  a  crime  most  abhorent  to  Jehovah ;  that 
the  system  of  Popery  is  doomed  by  God  to  utter  de- 
struction ;  and  that  all  Papists  being  idolaters,  unless 
they  come  out  of  Babylon  the  Great,  will  be  "  partakers 
of  her  sins,  and  will  receive  of  her  plagues." 

The  erroneous  judgment  that  is  formed  of  the  genuine 
attributes  of  Romanism  is  both  the  cause  and  the  effect 
of  that  false  charity  which  urges  so  many  of  our  citi- 
zens to  look  with  complacency  upon  that  antichristiati 
system,  and  to  consider  it  on  account  of  its  fraudulent 


INTRODrCTORY    ADDRESS,  Xlll 

appellative,  as  an  emanation  from  "  the  glorious  GovSpel 
of  the  ever  blessed  God." 

The  same  combined  delusion  and  fondness  for  its 
pageantry,  its  music,  its  ornaments,  and  its  shows, 
actuate  that  resistance  which  is  so  general,  and  so  con- 
tinuously displayed,  to  the  use  of  evangelical  means 
for  the  overthrow  of  Popery.  Indeed  it  seems  to  be 
entirely  forgotten,  by  almost  all  orders  of  people  both 
within  the  church,  and  in  the  world;  that  "the  work- 
ing of  Satan"  is  a  most  alarming  curse  to  every  nation 
who  tolerate  and  succumb  to  it;  and  that  "the  testi- 
mony ol  Jesus  which  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy"  has  dis- 
tinctly foretold  that  the  admission  and  progress  of  "the 
mystery  of  iniquity"  among  any  community  is  a  deci- 
sive expression  of  the  displeasure  of  Jehovah,  designed 
by  him  as  a  punishment  for  their  transgressions  and 
their  sins.  Thus  the  Apostle  Paul,  2  Thessalonians, 
2:  10 — 12;  emphatically  declares — "  They  received 
not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved.  For 
this  cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that 
they  should  believe  the  lie;  that  they  all  may  be 
damned,  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure 
in  unrighteousness." 

This  reflection  is  peculiarly  impressive,  if  considered 
in  connection  with  the  retributive  dispensations  of  the 
Omnipotent  Governor.  We  have  always  boasted  of 
the  unequalled  illumination  and  freedom  which  over- 
spread our  country ;  and  the  questions  instantly  arise ; 
has  that  light  been  duly  improved  ?  has  that  liberty 
been  used  for  evangelical  objects,  and  according  to  di- 
vine prescriptions  ? 

Reflect  upon  the  contrast.  Popery  is  a  system  of 
darkness  and  slavery,  mental,  bodily  and  spiritual.  No- 
thing more  directly  at  the  antipodes  to  all  our  republi- 

2 


XIV  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS, 

can  civic  theories  in  legislation  and  political  economy 
can  possibly  be  imagined,  than  the  dogmas,  injunctions 
and  appointments  of  the  Court  of  Rome,  exclusive  of 
their  total  contradiction  to  Christianity;  and  yet  that 
'' So7i  of  Perdition,^'  who  has  withered  the  comforts, 
blasted  the  prosperity,  promoted  the  contentions,  extin- 
guished the  improvements,  polluted  with  blood,  and  be- 
cause it  is  a  ceaseless  God-robber,  Malachi  3:  8,  9; 
has  "cursed  with  a  curse,"  during  the  last  twelve  hun- 
dred years,  every  one  of  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the  Beast, 
is  now  nourished  in  this  country  as  if  he  were  "  the 
Friend  of  sinners,  and  the  Prince  of  Peace." 

Those  irreconcilable  contradictions  between  all  that 
Americans  exult  in,  of  the  rights  of  conscience,  and  civil 
liberty,  when  contrasted  with  the  gloom  and  vassalage 
of  the  Papacy,  combine  the  most  intensely  exciting  in- 
quiries in  reference  to  the  prospective  advances  of  the 
pontifical  predominance  throughout  our  land.  Here 
we  have  a  fact,  v;hich  in  its  primary  aspect  appears  to 
be  utterl}^  inexplicable — that  men  who  are  sensitive 
beyond  description  to  the  least  apparent  infringement 
of  their  privileges  by  their  own  elected  official  person- 
ages; at  the  same  time  deliberately  choose  and  obsti- 
nately encourage  the  grasping  usurpations  of  a  foreign 
despotic  potentate;  whose  boundless  arrogance  claims 
the  illimitable  control  of  all  the  affairs  of  every  indi- 
vidual not  only  during  his  earthly  pilgrimage,  but 
throughout  eternal  ages  ;  and  also  assumes  to  determine 
and  regulate  not  merely  his  own  forced  and  voluntary 
minions,  but  the  concerns  of  all  the  tribes  of  mankind, 
without  a  murmur  of  resistance,  and  forever. 

Whether  the  supreme  and  all  righteous  arbiter  of 
human  transactions  would  alarm  us  by  tlie  fearful  inti- 
mation that  he  can  permit  men  voluntarily  so  to  blind 
themselves,  that  they  will  aid  the  tyrant  to  forge  the 


INTRODUCTORY     ADDRESS.  \V 

•chains  which  shall  fetter  themselves,  and  build  the  pri- 
son for  their  own  incarceration,  and  manufacture  the 
scourges  with  which  themselves  shall  be  lacerated  ;  is 
a  topic  which  demands  serious  investig-ation,  and  may 
properly  excite  penitent  humility.  The  signs  of  the 
times  are  full  of  melancholy  portents  for  the  American 
churches;  and  that  light  of  which  in  one  aspect  we 
have  boasted,  and  in  another,  endeavored  to  extinguish, 
is  rapidly  becoming  obscured  by  the  smoke  of  the  bot- 
tomless pit:  and  that  liberty  which  has  been  so  per- 
verted into  licentiousness  on  one  side,  and  been  so 
grievously  despoiled  on  the  other,  seems  to  be  gradu- 
ally transforming  into  the  feudal  bondage  of  the  dark 
ages,  when  a  Monk's  cowl  was  the  highest  object  of 
reverence,  and  a  Friar's  approbation  was  the  most 
richly  valued  possession. 

If  we  were  asked  for  an  example  of  human  depra- 
vity which  should  be  too  palpable  to  admit  either  of 
denial  or  proof,  we  would  adduce  the  present  condi- 
tion of  Popery  in  the  United  States.  No  other  reason 
can  be  assigned  for  the  progress  which  it,  has  made, 
and  the  cordiality  with  which  it  has  been  received; 
than  the  sanction  which  indirectly  by  example,  and  im- 
mediately by  its  accomrnodating  doctrines  and  license, 
that  "  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness"  imparts 
to  every  unhallowed  indulgence.  Popery  is  silently 
but  gradually  undermining  all  the  moral  principles  of 
our  people.  "  The  leaven,  the  doctrine  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  of  the  Sadducecs"  almost  imperceptibly,  except 
unto  a  very  perspicacious  observer,  is  embittering  and 
corrupting  our  whole  code  of  ethics,  both  theoretical  and 
in  practice. 

Examine  three  facts  in  connexion  with  the  fourth, 
seventh,  and  ninth  commandments.  What  has  been  the 
prime  cause  of  that  vast  addition  to  the  sabbath  break- 


XVl  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

ing  which  in  our  h\rge  cities  especially  has  transform^ 
ed  the  latter  half  of  the  Lord's  day  into  one  unrestricted 
scene  of  sensual  revelry.  What  are  the  Sunday  eve- 
ning "  Sacred  Concerts,"  as  they  are  called,  but  an  ex- 
cuse for  the  continued  perpetration  of  the  regular  disso- 
luteness of  the  other  six  days,  with  the  scene  and  place 
only  shifted  from  the  seductive  theatre  to  the  fascinating 
garden.  This  is  a  master-piece  of  satan  ;  to  gild  over 
sabbath  breaking  with  a  pretended  sacred  concert ;  as 
if  any  thing  could  be  sacred,  where  theatrical  profli- 
gates perform,  and  notorious  "  lovers  of  pleasure"  re- 
sort. But  it  is  the  genuine  effect  of  Popery.  The 
Papist's  sabbath  ends  as  soon  as  mass  is  closed ;  and 
then  every  species  of  inordinate  gratification  may  be 
indulged  with  impunity.  The  desecration  of  the  Lord's 
day  is  one  of  the  indelible  and  most  obvious  features  of 
the  Popedom  ;  and  as  the  natural  and  inevitable  conse- 
quence, infidelity,  and  all  diversified  ungodliness  with 
their  ineffable  evils  speedily  overflow  the  land.  It  being 
also  proper  to  be  remembered,  that  this  dishonor  of  the 
Lord's  day,  so  far  from  being  condemned  by  the  Papal 
creed,  is  an  essential  ingredient  in  their  system,  and 
from  their  superstitions  inseparable. 

The  transgression  of  the  seventh  commandment  is 
indissolubly  conjoined  with  Popery.  That  character- 
istic of  the  Romish  apostacy  is  declared  by  both  the 
Apostles  Paul  and  John,  to  be  an  infallible  mark  of  the 
mystical  Babylon  ;  and  according  to  the  testimony  of 
the  Papal  historians,  the  Scriptural  delineations  are 
most  minutely  accurate.  That  the  various  crimes  and 
the  scandalous  disorders,  which  are  implied  in  the 
Lord's  mandate,  are  increasing  not  only  in  frequency, 
but  also  in  openness,  and  likewise  in  aggravated  enor- 
mity, is  a  fact  which  is  so  obvious,  that  alas!  it  requires 
DO  evidence  to  verify  its  melancholy  truth,     Can  it  be 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS.  Xvii 

believed,  that  Jesuitism  is  not  principally  chargeable 
with  this  awfully  wide  spreading  desolation?  Do 
not  the  Jesuit  Priests  teach,  that  many  of  the  sins  of 
unchastity  are  merely  venial  ?  are  they  not  pardoned 
for  a  slight  penance  ?  are  not  dispensations  for  all  past 
delinquencies  sold  for  a  trifle?  Cannot  indulgence  for 
one  or  more  years,  be  obtained  for  a  given  price,  which 
permits  the  purchaser  to  violate  the  law  of  God  as  often 
as  he  ploases,  and  promises  him  exemption  from  the 
divine  displeasure  ?  "When  we  remember  the  propor- 
tion of  Papists  in  our  large  cities  and  towns,  is  it  possi- 
ble that  such  an  irreligious  and  contaminating  system 
should  exist,  and  be  in  full  operation  among  them,  and 
that  all  other  persons  should  escape  the  infectious  con- 
tagion ?  Is  it  conceivable  that  the  large. multitudes  of 
sinners  who  are  anxious  to  live  unrestrained  by  the  ju- 
risdiction of  Jehovah  will  not  be  gratified,  without  ex- 
amining its  genuineness,  Vv'ith  a  pretended  Christianity, 
which  tolerates  them  in  every  licentious  practice,  and 
which  guarantees  their  eventual  security,  through  the 
power  of  a  Priesthood  so  condescending  to  human  pro- 
pensities, and  Avhose  beneficence  is  so  cheaply  pur- 
chased ? 

But  probably  survej^'ed  in  all  their  operations  in  civil 
society  throughout  our  Federal  Republic,  the  doctrines 
and  practices  of  the  Jesuits  and  other  Roman  Priests, 
and  their  devotees,  respecting  the  ninth  commandment, 
are  more  pernicious  than  even  the  desecration  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  deluge  of  impurity  with  which  they 
are  desolating  public  morals  and  decorum.  The  equiv- 
ocations, mental  reservations,  nullifying  of  oaths,  in- 
fringement of  covenants,  and  in  short,  all  the  innumer- 
able modes  which  those  deceivers  have  invented  to  in- 
validate apparently  the  most  solemn  obligations,  and 

2* 


XVlll  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS, 

yet  to  remove  any  dread  of  guilt  from  the  Falsifiers  ; 
are  the  most  awful  proofs  of  outrageous  impiety,  and 
daring  perfidy  which  are  found  among  human  annals. 
Yet  all  those  perjuries  of  the  most  flagrant  character  are 
constantly  perpetrated  in  the  United  States,  and  by  all 
classes  of  Papists,  not  only  with  impunity ;  but  with  the 
approbation  and  according  to  the  instruction  of  their 
Priests.  Can  those  barefaced  violations  of  truth  and 
sincerity  be  openly  displayed  without  injury  to  others 
who  witness  them?  Can  the  doctrine  that  the  Roman 
Pontiff  and  his  subordinate  priests  can  nullify  an  oath 
or  a  contract ;  and  dispense  with  the  most  solemn  ob- 
ligations, and  authorize  deliberate  perjury,  be  openly 
taught  as  a  part  of  the  Romish  Religion,  without  dete- 
riorating the  minds  and  consciences  of  men  not  possess- 
ed of  that  fear  of  the  Lord  which  is  the  beginning  of 
wisdom?  Lying  and  false  swearing  are  essential  to 
the  very  existence  of  Popery. 

It  must  also  be  remembered,  that  this  Sabbath-break- 
ing, uncleanness,  and  deception  are  taught  in  all  the 
Seminaries  and  Convents  whether  of  boys  or  girls  in 
this  Union.  It  is  of  no  importance,  by  what  name  those 
institutions  are  known  ;  Jesuit  Priests  and  Ursuline 
Nuns  substantially  impart  the  knowledge,  and  entice 
to  the  doing  of  all  that  loathsome  iniquity.  This  is 
one  of  the  great  prospective  dangers  to  our  country. 
Multitudes  of  youth  and  of  the  moat  influential  rank 
in  the  American  community  recently  have  been  and 
now  are  in  the  course  of  tuition  under  those  consummate 
adepts  in  every  diabolical  art.  From  their  course  of 
tuition,  all  evangelical  instruction  is  most  cautiously 
excluded.  The  juvenile  mind  is  enchanted  with  pomp 
and  mummery;  and  beguiled  with  blandishments,  or 
menaced  with  alarm,  or  operated  upon  by  both  alter- 
nately, until  the  creature  has  become  a  mere  machine 


INTRODI'CTORY    ADDRESS.  xix 

whicli  tlie  priestly  artificer  adapts  to  any  purpose 
that  may  promote  his  desig-ns  or  gratify  his  vicious 
desires.  All  tiiat  youth  truly  learn  in  any  Jesuit  insti- 
tution, whether  it  be  a  college  or  nunnery,  is  the  most 
efficient  manner  to  impose  upon  the  world  around  them. 
That  is  beyond  all  dispute'  the  most  dangerous  of  all 
the  results  which  flow  from  those  monastic  establish- 
ments, in  which  Protestant  boys  and  girls  are  immur- 
ed. There  they  learn  every  possible  abomination  ;  and 
also  are  taught  every  ingenious  device  by  which  they 
can  elude  discovery  in  the  midst  of  their  crimes:  and 
deceive  all  persons  who  are  not  minutely  conversant 
with  their  chicanery  and  turpitude. 

Jesuitism  cannot  proceed  onward  in  its  progress 
throughout  our  country,  as  it  has  done  for  the  last  ten 
years  without  speedily  illustrating  its  baneful  effects, 
in  the  increasing  indifference  of  the  public  to  sterling 
knowledge;  in  growing  immorality;  in  prevailing 
scepticism;  in  a  silent  but  systematic  and  deadly  change 
in  the  spirit  of  our  statute  laws  :  and  in  an  accelerating 
corruption  and  debasement  of  the  national  character. 

Jesuitism  cannot  exercise  its  present  wicked  influ- 
ence many  years  longer  before  the  Christian  churches 
will  find  themselves  cowering  to  the  audacity,  and 
writhing  under  the  usurpations  of  those  vile  emissaries 
of  the  Roman  Pontiff 

It  is  therefore  "  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep, 
to  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and  to  put  on  the  ar- 
mor of  lightV  The  welfare  of  the  community  and 
the  vital  interests  of  the  Christian  churches  are  deeply 
concerned  in  a  prompt  renovation  of  the  character  and 
actions  of  Protestants  in  reference  to  Popery.  Two 
measures  are  indispensable.  An  accurate  and  a  gen- 
eral acquaintance  with  the  qualities  and  mischievous 
effects  of   the  grand  apostacy ;   and  the   adoption  of 


XX  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

efficient  and  evangelical  means  to  counteract  and  di* 
minish  that  unholy  predominance  which  the  Romish 
accursed  despotism  has  already  attained. 

The  former  course  necessarily  implies  the  dissemi- 
nation of  knowledge  hy  periodicals,  standard  volumes, 
and  popular  discussions,  especially  by  lectures  on  the 
prophecies  which  advert  to  Romanism.  The  latter 
comprises  a  correct  understanding  of  the  evils  which 
flow  from  the  existence  of  Popery  in  its  connection  with 
civil  society,  and  of  the  proper  methods  to  extirpate 
that  insidious  poison  which  it  infuses  into  the  whole 
mass  of  the  community,  and  by  which  their  energies  are 
paralyzed,  and  the  system  corrupted  with  a  loathsonje 
and  direful  mortification.  With  this  point  however 
the  Christian  churches,  in  their  associated  relations 
cannot  interfere.  No  man  wishes  to  infringe 
upon  the  rights  of  conscience;  and  no  citizen  would  be 
willing  to  rebuild  the  dungeous,  forge  the  fetters,  shar- 
pen the  sword,  and  kindle  the  fires  of  Dominican  In- 
quisitors, and  Papal  Butchers.  It  may  confidently  be 
anticipated  that  the  coflag  rations  of  the  Auto  da  Fe, 
and  the  indiscriminate  massacre  of  Protestants  by  the 
blood-hounds  of  the  Mother  of  Harlots,  who  furnished 
the  blood  of  the  Saints  with  which  she  became  drunken, 
have  passed  away  not  to  be  reiterated.  But  the 
events  which  have  occurred  since  the  commencement 
of  that  shaking  of  the  nations,  the  French  Revolution 
in  1789,  not  only  in  France;  but  also  in  Spain,  Portu- 
gal, Italy  and  Austria,  assure  us ;  that  the  Romish 
priestly  assassins  will  not  surrender  their  stilettos, 
their  poison,  their  frauds,  and  their  long  enjoyed  su- 
premacy without  a  struggle  ;  which  although  it  will 
terminate  in  their  overthrow,  will  previously  have  con- 
vulsed the  nations  who  had  submitted  to  them  to  their 
centre;  and  will  spread  desolation,  anguish,  penury 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS,  XXI 

and  slaughter,  through  all  tliuir  boundaries,  to  tlic  ut- 
most extremity.  Tlic  United  States  of  America  will 
not  escape  the  experience  of  the  storm  and  the  wo,  in 
exact  proportion  to  the  number  of  the  Papal  Ecclesias- 
tics, and  the  extent  to  which  their  power  and  abomina- 
tions have  controlled  throughout  our  country. 

It  is  therefore  desirable  to  promulge  among  our 
churches  a  work  that  exhibits  in  the  most  compendious 
form  the  various  artifices  by  which  the  emissaries  of 
the  Roman  PontilT  endeavor  to  delude  the  unwary 
to  their  ruin  ;  thereby  to  enlighten  those  who  are  not 
acquainted  witfl  the  fallacies  and  the  Popish  corrup- 
tions;  and  also  to  excite  becoming  watchfulness  on  the 
part  of  the  Protestant  churches  against  the  snares  of 
their  insidious  foes.  For  that  purpose,  the  best  proba- 
bly of  all  the  controversial  disquisitions  by  the  immor- 
tal Richard  Baxter  was  selected.  During  the  civil 
commotions  in  Britain  which  followed  the  lawless  and 
destructive  exhibitions  of  '*  King  craft,"  by  James  I. 
and  Charles  I.  the  Jesuits  attempted  to  increase  the 
ferment,  and  the  divisions  among  the  Protestants,  that 
the  unthinking  multitades,  weary  of  their  unceasing- 
commotions,  might  for  quietude  as  they  supposed,  take 
refuge  in  a  Jesuit's  absolution,  and  within  the  turrets 
of  Babylon.  The  authentic  history  of  that  period  cer- 
tifies that  to  accomplish  their  schemes,  every  subter- 
fuge and  trick  were  adopted  by  those  ingenious  and 
fox-like  masters  of  fraud  and  deception.  They  had  re- 
ceived dispensations  from  the  Pope  and  the  General  of 
their  order  to  wear  every  kind  of  vizor,  to  appear  in 
all  sorts  of  disguise,  to  assume  any  name  or  profession, 
and  to  perpetrate  every  possible  crime  so  as  to  promote 
the  grand  scheme,  the  restoration  of  the  Pontifical  au- 
thority throughout  those  kingdoms. 

In  consequence  of  those  Papal  indulgences,  Jesuits 


XXll  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

were  found  in  all  characters  ;  and  always  exceeding  in 
extravagance  even  the  wildest  efiervescence  of  those 
who  felt  more  than  ordinary  excitement  during  that 
agitated  period.  It  was  then  partially  known,  and  has 
since  been  amply  ascertained  and  proved ;  that  Nuns 
ohtruded  themselves  amoni?  the  female  followers  of 
George  Fox,  and  that  many  of  the  scandalous  public 
exhibitions  of  women  in  a  state  of  nudity  were  by  those 
well  trained  prostitutes  of  the  Romish  Priests.  The 
leaders  also  of  those  minor  sects  who  promulged  as 
their  cardinal  tenet,  a  community  of  property  and  sex- 
ual intercourse,  were  chiefly  Jesuits  and  Nuns,  or  oth- 
ers whom  they  had  artfully  selected  as  suitable  tools  to 
carry  on  their  pernicious  schemes.  Many  of  those  who 
pretended  to  be  preachers  of  different  sects,  and  who 
were  distinguished  for  the  infuriated  extravagance  of 
their  opinions,  and  the  apparent  madness  of  their  be- 
haviour, were  Roman  Priests  and  Monks ;  who  had 
but  one  design,  to  augment  the  national  discord,  to  dis- 
grace Protestantism,  to  deceive  the  ignorant,  and  thus 
to  proselyte  the  people  to  the  Roman  superstitions. 
Baxter  wrote  the  ensuing  work  expressly  to  unfold 
their  wickedness  :  and  it  is  a  lasting  memento,  that  Po- 
pery is  immutable  in  its  treachery  and  ungodliness. 

The  attentive  American  Reader  of  the  ''Juggling 
of  Jesuits,^^  and  the  specifications  of  the  ''Forty  Popish 
Frauds,^''  which  Richard  Baxter  has  detected  and  dis- 
closed ;  will  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  exact  simili- 
tude which  there  is  between  the  period  of  Oliver  Crom- 
well's supremacy  in  Britain,  and  the  principles  and 
acts  of  the  Jesuits  in  this  republic.  Admitting  even 
that  a  modern  polemic  could  have  composed  a  volume 
exactly  identical  in  fervor  and  in  materials,  it  would 
not  have  been  in  any  way  so  impressive  as  this  devel- 
opment of  the  spirit,  and  practices  of  Jesuitism,  which 


INTRODUCTORV     ADDRESS.  XXlll 

was  first  published  one  hundred  and  eighty  years  since  ; 
and  which  is  as  exactly  adapted  to  the  present  situation 
of  Romanism  in  the  United  States,  as  if  it  had  been  com- 
posed under  the  superintendence  of  the  spirit  of  proph- 
ecy, or  as  if  it  had  been  a  philosophical  and  historical 
delineation  of  a  preexistent  controversy. 

Among  the  multifarious  polemical  works  in  refer- 
ence to  Romanism,  and  the  means  which  its  treacher- 
ous partizans  use  to  disseminate  it  in  this  country,  it  is 
believed  that  no  treatise  could  be  selected  which  pre- 
sents stronger  claims  upon  the  attention  of  the  ministers, 
officers,  and  members  of  the  American  churches,  than 
this  display  ot  "■  Jesuitical  Juggling,^''  by  Richard  Bax- 
ter. Not  only  does  he  confute  the  system  of  Popery  as 
incurably  corrupt  and  totally  anti-christian,  by  a  few 
concise  arguments,  which  all  can  comprehend ;  but  he 
also  describes  the  dexterous  artifices  of  the  Jesuits  so 
lucidly  and  in  such  diversified  forms,  that  none  can 
deny  the  accuracy  of  the  narrative;  and  no  one  can 
plead  an  excuse  for  being  ensnared  by  their  "  sleight 
and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lay  in  wait  to 
deceive." 

It  is  deliberate  treason  to  the  Lord  of  all,  or  it  is  ju- 
dicial infatuation  in  all  those  ministers  and  members  of 
the  Christian  churches,  who  assert  that  the  alarm  re- 
specting Popery  is  fictitious,  and  that  the  battle  with 
Jesuitism  has  not  yet  to  be  fought  in  this  Union.  Are 
there  not  at  the  present  hour,  probably  twelve  hundred 
thousand  Papists  in  the  United  States,  with  half  a  mil- 
lion more  in  Canada  at  the  North,  and  several  millions 
adjoining  on  the  South  West  in  Mexico  ?  Are  not 
France  and  Spain,  and  Portugal,  and  Ireland,  and 
Austria,  constantly  disgorging  the  very  dregs  of  Rom- 
ish ecclesiastical  corruption  in  the  shape  of  Monks  and 


XXIV  INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS. 

Nuns  upon  our  land  and  in  a  continuously  augment* 
ing  stream  ?  Monks  and  Nuns  also  of  such  abandoned 
profligacy,  that  even  those  pitiable  priest-ridden  slaves 
could  no  longer  tolerate  their  turpitude,  or  their  existence 
among  them  ?  The  time  will  speedily  arrive  when 
their  morbid  influence  will  be  felt  by  the  body  politic, 
and  their  iron  grasp  will  convince  our  citizens  that  if 
they  would  preserve  their  rights  and  enjoy  the  gospel, 
they  must  "put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  and  wres- 
tle against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  and 
against  spiritual  wickednesss  in  high  places." 

Therefore  Ministers  and  Churches!  hear  the  words 
of  "  the  son  of  Go(f,  the  Amen,  who  hath  his  eyes  like 
unto  a  flame  of  fire." — "  I  have  a  few  things  against 
you,  because  you  sufler  that  woman  Jezabel,  who  calleth 
herself  a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to  seduce  my  ser- 
vants to  commit  fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed 
to  idols.  Be  watchful  and  strengthen  the  things  which 
remain,  that  are  ready  to  die.  Be  zealous  therefore 
and  repent !  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches!" 


EPISTLE  DEDICATORY 

TO 

RICHARD     CROMWELL 


These  papers  tender  you  their  service,  because  the 
subject  of  thvm  so  nearly  concerneth  both  us  and  you, 
that  you  should  be  well  acquainted  with  them.  The 
Roman  Canons  that  batter  the  unity,  Catholicism,  and 
purity  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  are  mounted  on  the 
frame  which  I  have  here  demolished.  The  swords  and 
pens,  and  tongues  that  you  are  now  engaged  against, 
and  which  you  must  expect  henceforth  to  assault  you, 
are  whetted  and  managed  by  the  senseless,  tyrannous, 
ungodly  principles  which  I  have  here  detected.  Un- 
.  reasonable  as  they  appear  to  the  unprejudiced,  they 
have  animated  the  studies  and  diligent  endeavors 
of  thousands  to  captivate  tlie  princes  and  nations  of  the 
earth  to  the  Roman  yoke.  Vain  as  they  appear  to  us 
that  see  them  naked,  they  have  divided  and  distracted 
the  churches  of  Christ,  and  troubled  and  dethroned 
princes,  and  laid  them  at  the  feet  of  the  Roman  Pope, 
They  have  absolved  subjects  from  their  oaths  and  other 
obligations  to  fidelity;  and  have  involved  many  na- 
tions in  blood.  O  the  streams  of  the  blood  of  saints  that 
have  been  shed  by  Roman  principles,  in  Savoy,  France, 
Bohemia,  Poland,  Germany,  Ireland,  England,  and 
many  other  lands !  The  war  1  here  manage,  is  against 
those  adverse  principles  that  have  armed  thousands  and 
millions  against  the  innocent,  or  against  their  lawful 
sovereigns,  whom  God  had  bound  them  to  obey.  They 
have  fastened  knives  in  the  breasts  of  the  greatest  kino-s, 
as  the  lamentable  cases  of  Henry  the  Third  and  Fourth 
of  France  do  testify.  They  have,  in  a  few  days  time, 
in  Paris,  and  the  adjoining  parts  of  France,  perfidiously 
butchered  nobles,  and  other  persons  of  eminence,  and 
people  of  all  sorts,  to  the  number  of  forty  thousand. 
The  doctrines  which  I  here  confound,  have  invaded 
England  by  a  Spanish  armada,  by  the  Pope's  consent, 
and  upon  the  account  of  religion.    They  have  prepared 

3 


26  EPISTLE 

knives  and  poison  for  our  princes,  which  God  did  frus- 
trate. They  have  laid  gunpowder  to  blow  up  king  and 
parliament,  and  hellishly  execute  the  fury  of  the  delu- 
ded zealots  in  a  moment,  and  then  charged  the  Puritans 
with  the  fact.  In  a  time  of  peace,  by  a  sudden  insurrec- 
tion, they  murdered  so  many  tliousands  in  Ireland  in  a 
few  days  or  weeks  as  posterity  will  scarcely  believe. 
They  are  dreadful  practicals,  and  not  mere  speculations, 
that  we  dispute  against.  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  that 
you  receive  not  this  as  you  would  do  a  scholastic  or 
philosophical  disputation  about  such  things  as  seem 
not  to  concern  you  ;  but  as  you  would  interest  yourself 
in  a  disputation  upon  the  question,  whether  you  should 
be  murdered  as  a  heretic,  and  whether  we  should  be 
tormented  and  burnt  as  heretics,  and  whether  the  lives 
of  all  the  princes  and  people  upon  earth,  whom  the 
Pope  judgeth  heretics,  should  be  at  his  mercy.  I  speak 
not  this  to  provoke  you  to  deal  bloodily  with  them,  as 
they  do  with  the  servants  of  the  Lord  !  I  abhor  the 
thought  of  imitating  their  cruelty  I  It  is  only  the  ne- 
cessary defence  of  your  life  and  dignity,  and  the  lives 
of  all  the  Protestants  that  are  under  your  protection 
and  government,  and  the  souls  of  men,  that  I  desire. 
On  what  terms  we  stand  with  those  men  whose  religion 
teacheth  them  to  kill  us  if  they  can,  and  to  venture  their 
lives  for  it,  is  easy  to  understand.  When  we  have  no 
security  from  them  for  our  lives,  but  their  inability  to 
destroy  us,  we  must  disable  them  or  die.  I  ulter  not 
melancholy  dreams  nor  slanders.  I  have  here  showed 
it  in  the  plain  and  copious  decrees  of  ihe  approved 
General  Council  at  Lateran,  that  the  deposing  of  princes, 
and  absolving  their  subjects  from  their  fidelity,  and 
giving  their  dominions  to  others,  not  only  for  supposed 
heresy,  but  for  not  exterminating  such  as  denytransub- 
stantiation,  &c.,  is  an  article  of  their  faith;  and  no  man 
can  disown  it  without  disowning  Popery  in  the  essen- 
tials. If  once  they  will  renounce  the  decrees  of  general 
councils  approved  by  the  Pope,  we  shall  be  soon  agreed. 
Costerus,  Enchirid.  cap.  1,  p.  46,  saith ;  Qucn.  sane  de- 
creta  si  i^eriiatem,  si  obsignationem  Spiriius  Sa7icii,  si 
pra^senliam  Christi  species,  idem  liabeni  pondus  et  mo- 
mentum quod  Sancta  Dei  Evangclia ;  "  which  decrees. 


DEDICATORY.  27 

if  you  advert  to  the  truth,  or  the  seal  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
or  the  presence  of  Christ,  have  the  same  authority  as 
the  holy  gospel  of  God."  They  believe  those  decrees 
to  be  as  true  as  the  gospel.  Bozius  Hostiensis,  and 
many  more  of  them  make  the  Pope  to  be  the  Lord  of 
all  the  world.  Bellarmin  and  the  stronger  side  do 
carry  it  as  the  common  jutlgment  of  all  Catholic  di- 
vines ;  see  what  a  rabble  he  heaps  up.  De  Pontif  Rom. 
li.  5,  c.  1,  that  the  Pope  ratlune  spiriliialis,  habct  saltern 
iiulircclc  'polestatem  quandam,  camque  aummavi  in  tcm- 
jwralibus ;  "by  reason  of  his  spiritual  office,  has  the 
chief  power  in  temporal  affairs!"  Which,  cap,  6,  he 
saith,  is  just  such  over  princes  as  the  soul  hath  over 
the  body  or  sensitive  appetite;  and  that  thus  he  may 
change  kingdoms,  and  take  them  from  one  and  give 
them  to  another,  as  the  chief  spiritual  prince,  if  it  be 
but  necessary  to  the  safety  of  souls.  Cap.  7.  Whether 
the  Pope  do  take  your  government  to  be  for  the  good 
of  souls,  I  need  not  tell  you.  It  is  the  stupendous  judg- 
ment of  God  on  Christina  princes  for  their  sins,  that 
they  have  been  so  far  blinded  as  to  endure  such  a 
usurper  so  long,  and  have  not  before  this  blotted  out 
his  name  from  among  the  sons  of  men.  It  is  not  law- 
ful , saith  Bellarmin,  ib.  c.  7,  for  Christians  to  tolerate 
an  infidel,  or  heretical  king,  if  he  endeavor  to  draw  his 
subjects  to  his  heresy  or  unbelief:  but  to  judge  whether 
a  king  do  draw  to  heresy  or  not,  belongeth  to  the  Pope, 
to  whom  the  care  of  religion  is  committed:  therefore  it 
belongs  to  the  Pope  to  judge  a  king  to  be  deposed,  or 
not  deposed.  You  see  here  it  is  not  lawful  for  such 
Christians  as  the  Papists  to  tolerate  you ;  which  may 
help  your  judgment  in  the  point  of  their  toleration.  Si 
Christiani,  saith  Bellar.  ib.  olim  nondeposuerunt Nero- 
■,icm — Valentem  Arianuin  ct  similes,  id  fuit  quia  dee- 
rant  vires  temporales  Christianis ;  "if  Christians  for- 
merly did  not  depose  Nero,  Valens  the  Arian,  and 
others,  it  was  because  they  were  deficient  in  temporal 
power!"  You  have  your  government,  and  we  our 
lives,  because  the  Papists  are  not  strong  enough.  They 
tell  you  what  to  trust  to.  Toilet,  one  of  the  best  Jesuits, 
li.  1.  de  Instruct.  Sacerd.  c.  13,  saith;  They  that  were 
bound  by  the  bond  of  fidelity  or  oath,  shall  be  freed 


28  EPISTLE 

from  such  a  bond,  if  he  fall  into  excommunication  :  and 
during  that,  debtors  are  absolved  from  the  obligation  of 
paying  to  the  creditor  that  debt  that  is  contracted  by 
words.  These  are  no  private,  ineflectual  opinion*. 
Pope  Pius  V.  himself,  in  his  bull  against  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, saiih  ;  We  will  and  command  that  the  subjects  take 
arms  against  that  heretical  and  excommunicated  queen. 
But  their  cruelty  to  mens'  souk  and  the  Church  of 
Christ,  doth  yet  much  more  declare  their  uncharitable- 
ness.  It  is  a  point  of  their  religion  to  believe  that  no 
man  can  be  saved  but  the  subjects  of  their  Pope.  Knotty 
and  a  late  pamphlet  called  "  Questions  for  Resolution 
of  unlearned  Protestants,  &c.,"  and  Bishop  Morton  hath 
recited  the  words  of  Lindanus,  Valentia,  and  Vasquez. 
Apol.  lib.  2,  c.  1,  defining  it  to  be  of  necessity  to  salva- 
tion, to  be  subject  to  the  Roman  Bishop.  Would  not  a 
man  think,  that  for  such  horrid  doctrines,  as  damn  the 
far  greatest  part  of  Christians  in  the  world,  they  should 
produce  at  least  some  probable  arguments?  But  what 
they  have  to  say,  I  have  here  faithfully  detected.  If  we 
will  dispute  Avith  them,  or  turn  to  them,  the  scripture 
must  be  no  further  judge  than  as  their  church  expound- 
eth  it.  The  judgment  of  the  ancient,  yea,  or  present 
church,  they  utterly  renounce  ;  for  the  far  greatest  part 
is  known  to  be  against  the  headship  of  their  Pope  ;  and 
therefore  they  must  stand  by  for  heretics.  Tradition 
itself  they  dare  not  stand  to,  except  themselves  be  judges 
of  it ;  for  the  greatest  part  of  Christians  profess  that 
tradition  is  against  the  Roman  Vice-Christ.  The  in- 
ternal sense  and  experience  of  Christians  they  gainsay;- 
concluding-  all  besides  themselves  to  be  void  of  charity 
or  saving  grace;  which  many  thousands  of  holy  souls 
do  find  within  them,  that  never  believed  in  the  Pope. 
Yea,  when  we  are  content  to  lay  our  lives  on  it,  that  we 
will  show  them  the  deceit  of  Popery,  as  certainly  and 
plainly  as  bread  is  known  to  be  bread  when  we  see  it, 
feel,  and  taste  it,  and  as  wine  is  known  to  be  wine  when 
we  see  and  drink  ;  yet  do  they  refuse  even  the  judgment 
of  sense,  of  all  mens'  senses,  even  their  own  and  others. 
So  that  we  must  renounce  our  honesty,  our  knowledge 
of  ourselves,  our  senses,  our  reason,  the  common  expe- 
rience and  senses  of  all  men,  and  the  judgment  of  the 


DEDICATORY.  20 

far  greatest  part  of  the  present  church,  or  else  by  the 
judgment  of  the  Papists  we  must  all  be  damned. 

VVhethei  such  opinions  as  those  should  by  us  be  un 
contradicted,  or  by  you  be  sullered  to  be  taught  your 
subjects,  is  easy  to  (.liscern.  If  they  had  strength,  they 
would  little  trouble  us  with  disputing.  Nothing  is  more 
common  in  their  writers  than  that  the  sword  or  fire  is 
fitter  for  heretics  than  disputes.  This  is  but  their  after- 
game. Though  their  church  must  rule  princes,  as  the 
soul  rukth  the  body,  yet  it  must  be  by  secular  power. 
Excommunication  doth  but  give  fire;  lead  and  iron  do 
the  execution.  When  they  arc  themselves  disabled,  it 
is  their  way  to  strike  us  by  the  hands  and  swords  of 
one  another.  He  that  saw  England,  Scotland,  and  Ire- 
land awhile  ago  in  blood,  and  now  sees  the  lamentable 
case  of  so  many  Protestant  princes  and  nations  destroy- 
ing one  another,  and  thinks  that  Papists  have  no  hand 
in  contriving,  counselling,  andinstigating,or  executing, 
is  a  stranger  to  their  principles  and  practices. 

Observing,  therefore,  that  of  all  the  sects  that  we  are 
troubled  with,  there  is  none  but  the  Papist  that  disputeth 
with  us  with  flames  and  gunpowder,  with  armies  and 
navies  at  their  backs,  having  so  many  princes,  and  so 
great  revenues  for  their  provision  ;  I  have  judged  it  my 
duty  to  detect  the  vanity  of  their  cause. 

We  earnestly  request,  that  you  will,  resolvedly, 
adhere  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  holiness,  and  afford  the 
reformed  churches  abroad  the  utmost  of  your  help  for 
their  concord  and  defence,  and  never  be  tempted  to  own 
an  interest  that  crosseth  the  interest  of  Christ.  How 
many  thousands  are  studiously  contriving  the  extirpa- 
tion of  the  Protestant  churches  from  the  earth  .''  How 
many  princes  are  confederate  against  them  1  The  more 
will  be  required  of  you  for  their  aid.  The  serious  en- 
deavors of  your  renowned  father,  Oliver  Cromwell,  for 
the  Protestants  of  Savoy,  hath  won  him  more  esteem 
than  all  his  victories. 

*We  humbly  request,  that  you  will  faithfully  ad- 
here to  those  that  fear  the  Lord  in  your  dominions.  In 
your  eyes  let  a  vile  person  be  contemned;  but  honor 
them  that  fear  the  Lord.  Psal.  xv.  4.  Know  not  the 
wicked;  but  let  your  eyes  be  upon  the  faithful  of  the 

3* 


30  EPISTLE 

land.  Psal.  ci.  4.  6.  Compassionate  ihe  weak  and 
curable.  Punish  the  incurable  j  restiain  the  froward, 
but  love  and  cherish  the  servants  of  the  Lord.  They 
are,  under  Christ,  the  honor  and  the  strength  of  the 
commonwealth  It  was  a  wise  and  a  happy  king  that 
professed  that  his  good  should  extend  to  the  saints  on 
earth,  and  the  excellent,  in  whom  was  his  delight.  Psal. 
xvi.  2,  3.  This  strengthening  of  the  vitals  is  one  of  the 
chief  means  to  keep  out  Popery  and  all  other  danger- 
ous diseases.  We  see  few  understanding  godly  people 
receive  the  Roman  infection,  but  the  profane,  licen- 
tious, ignorant,  or  malignant  that  are  prepared  for  it. 

We  earnestly  request  your  utmost  care,  that  we 
may  be  ruled  by  godly,  faithful  magistrates,  under  you  ; 
and  that  your  wisdom  and  vigilance  may  frustrate  the 
subtilty  of  masked  Papists  or  Infidels,  that  would  creep 
into  places  of  council,  command,  or  justice,  or  any  pub- 
lic office.  If  ever  such  as  those  should  be  our  rulers, 
we  know  what  Ave  must  expect.  The  reasons  of  our 
jealousies  of  such  men  are,  because  we  know  that  the 
design  is  agreeable  to  their  principles  and  -interests. 
We  know  it  is  their  usual  course  :  and  we  find  that  such 
men  swarm  among  us.  We  hear  their  words;  we  read 
their  writings,  we  see  their  practices  for  Popery  and 
Infidelit3\  The  jealousies  of  many  wise  men  in  Eng- 
land are  very  great,  concerning  the  present  designs  of 
this  generation  of  men  ;  and  not  without  cause.  We 
fear  the  masked  Papists  and  Infidels  more  than  the  bare- 
faced enemy.  The  men  that  we  are  jealous  of,  and  over 
whom  we  desire  you  to  be  vigilant,  are  those  hiders, 
that  purposely  obscure  and  cover  their  religion.  He 
that  wilfully  concealeth  his  faith,  alloweth  me  to  sus- 
pect it  to  be  naught.  Those  men  we  are  jealous  of;  and 
if  ever  you  advance  them  into  places  of  command  or 
power,  it  will  increase  our  jealousies.  I  have  no  per- 
sonal grudge  to  any  of  them.  But  the  gospel,  and  the 
souls  of  men,  and  the  hopes  of  our  posterity,  are  noMo 
contemptible  as  to  be  given  away  as  a  bribe  to  purchase 
those  men*s  good  will,  or  to  stop  their  mouths,  lest  they 
should  reproach  us.  As  it  i-s  the  common,  but  a  poor 
redress,  that  after  the  massacres  of  thousands,  the  sur- 
viving  Protestants  have  still  had  from  the  Papists,  to 


dl:dicatorv.  31 

disclaim  tlje  fact,  or  cast  it  upon  some  rash.disconteiitcJ 
iiieii,  which  will  not  make  dead  men  alive  again.  So 
will  it  be  a  poor  relief  to  us,  when  those  men  are  our 
masters,  and  have  deprived  us  of  all  that  was  dear  to 
us  in  the  world,  that  we  escaped  their  ill  hmguage 
while  the  work  was  doing. 

Papists  disown  abundance  of  the  abominations  which 
they  propagate  ;  but  as  plain  dealing  in  religion  is  bet- 
ter than  juggling,  so,  we  had  rather  that  open  Papists 
were  tolerated,  than  those  juggling  deceivers.  They 
that  know  the  Jesuits  and  Friars,  profess  that  they  arc 
moro  common  in  princes,  councils,  and  families,  and  in 
the  houses,  if  not  the  closets  of  noblemen,  commanders, 
and  persons  of  public  trust  or  service,  than  we  that  live 
and  mean  simply,  do  imagine.  And  who  would  have 
thought  that  had  not  known  it,  that  they  had  so  insinu- 
ated into  the  several  sects  among  us,  and  that  they  were 
so  industrious  in  their  work,  as  the  Newcastle  Scottish 
Jew  was,  to  be  circumcised  or  become  Jew,  and  then 
re-baptized.  Sec,  and  all  to  deceive? 

Judge  how  fiir  their  seductions  are  to  be  tolerated. 
They  preach  treason  against  princes  and  states  as  a 
principal  part  of  their  religion. 

Their  doctrine  corrupteth  all  morality,  what  need  we 
fuller,  clearer  proof,  than  the  Jansenian  hath  given  us 
in  his  •*  Mystery  of  Jesuitism?"  Morton  hath  long  ago 
produced  enough  to  tell  us  what  to  expect  from  such 
men.  Apolog.  part  I.  1.  2.  c,  13.  Toilet,  himself,  1.  4. 
de  Instruct.  Sacerd.,  c.  9,  saith  ;  Quantum  ad  intentio- 
ncm  dilectionis,  non  teacmur  sub  preceplo  Dcum  plus 
omnibus  diligere.  "  As  to  the  intention  of  delight,  we 
are  not  bound  by  the  command  to  love  God,  more  than 
others."  Stapleton,  1.  6.  de  justif,  c.  10.,  and  Valent.  1. 
de  Votis,  c.  3,  saith  ;  Hoc  preceytum  diligendi  Deum  e.c 
tola  mente,  doctrinalc  est,  non  obllgatorium.  "The 
precept  t:)  love  God  with  all  the  mind,  is  merely  doctri- 
nal, and  not  obligatory."  See  here,  a  precept,  and  the 
greatest  precept,  even  to  love  God  above  all,  is  not  obli- 
gatory ?  And  p.  322,  he  reciteth  the  words  of  Toilet- 
ibid.  1.  4.  c.  21,  and  22;- teaching  equivocation  upon 
oath  before  a  magistrate,  and  so  maintaining  perjury. 
And  p.  327,  he  citeth  the  same  author,  maintaining  that 


3^  EPISTLE    DEDICATORY. 

murder  and  blasphemy,  in  a  passion,  and  not  delibe- 
rate, is  no  mortal  sin,  unless  in  one  that  is  used  to  blas- 
pheme. And  p.  329,  Bellarm.  Costerus,  and  Valentia 
maintain,  that  fornication  in  a  priest,  is  better,  or  a 
smaller  sin  than  to  marry.  The  like  he  shows  of  their 
doctrine  of  theft,  false  witness,  &c  ,  p.  332,  333.  &c. 

Above  all  their  other  mischiefs,  the  propagating  of 
infidelity  is  the  greatest.  Under  the  vizor  of  inhdels, 
they  plead  against  scripture  and  Christianity,  to  loosen 
men  from  all  religion,  and  persuade  them  that  they 
must  be  infidels  or  papists.  Veron  and  his  followers 
have  given  them  full  directions  to  manage  that  design. 
And  while  with  debauched  consciences  they  thus  per- 
suade men  to  be  infidels  in  jest,  they  have  made  abun- 
dance such  in  true  sadness;  so  that  there  are  many 
such  swarm  among  us,  that  sometimes  seemed  pious 
persons,  that  plead  against  Christianity  itself.  The 
leading  papisis  seem  to  be  Christians  in  jest,  and  infi- 
dels in  good  earnest  themselves. 

If  you  ask  who  it  is  that  presumeth  thus  to  be  your 
monitor  .''  It  is  one  that  serveth  so  great  a  master,  that 
he  thinks  it  no  unwarrantable  presumption  in  such  a 
case  to  be  faithfully  plain  with  the  greatest  prince.  It 
is  one  that  stands  so  near  eternity,  where  Lazarus  shall 
wear  the  crown,  that  unfaithful  man-pleasing  would 
be  to  him  a  double  crime.  It  is  one  that  rejoiceth  in  the 
present  happiness  of  England,  and  earnestly  wisheth 
that  it  were  but  as  well  with  the  rest  of  the  world ;  and 
that  honoreth  all  the  providences  of  God,  by  which 
we  have  been  brought  to  what  we  are.  He  is  one  that 
concurring  in  the  common  hopes  of  greater  blessings 
yet  to  these  nations  underyour  government,  and  observ- 
ing your  acceptance  of  the  frequent  addresses  that  from 
all  parts  of  the  land  are  made  unto  you,  was  encour- 
aged to  concur  with  the  rest,  in  the  tender  of  his  service. 
That  the  Lord  will  make  you  a  healer  and  preserver  of 
his  churches  here  at  home,  and  a  successful  helper  to 
his  churches  abroad,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of 

RICFIARD  BAXTER. 


PREFACE. 


The  controversies  here  handled  are  those  that  still 
are  making  the  iT:reatest  combustions  in  the  Christian 
world  ;  and  yet  they  seem  exceeding-  easy.  I  seldom 
meet  with  a  learned  Protestantbuttaketh  Popery  for  such 
transparent  fallacies,  that  he  is  little  or  no  whit  troubled 
with  any  doublings  in  the  business. 

We  are  confident  of  our  own  religion,  because  we 
believe  the  gospel:  and  we  have  no  other  rule  and  test 
of  our  religion  :  and  we  are  confident  that  Popery  is  a 
deceit,  because  we  both  believe  the  gospel  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  ancient  and  present  churches,  and  because 
we  believe  our  sense  itself  As  sure  as  we  know  bread 
from  flesh,  and  wine  from  blood,  by  seeing,  tasting,  &c., 
so  sure  know  we  that  Popery  is  false.  And  if  a  contro- 
versy is  not  at  an  end,  when  it  is  brought  to  the  judg- 
ment of  all  the  senses  of  all  the  sound  men  in  the  world, 
it  being  about  the  object  of  sense,  then  we  are  past  liope 
of  ending  controversies;  and  therefore,  as  we  will  not 
waste  our  time  to  dispute  that  snow  is  black,  or  the  fire 
cold,  no  more  will  we  trouble  ourselves  with  those  men 
that  tell  us  that  bread  is  not  bread,  and  wine  is  not  wine. 

Two  things  the  Papists  are  still  liarping  on.  The  first 
is,  that  in  our  way,  we  liave  no  assurance  that  the  Chris- 
tian religion  is  true,  or  that  scripture  is  the  word  of 
God.  Their  second  is,  that  thread-bare  question.  Where 
was  your  church  before  Luther?  Where  hath  it  been 
successively  in  each  age  .^  And  here  mere  sophistry 
carrieth  it  through  the  papal  world,  to  the  deluding  of 
the  simple,  that  are  not  able  to  see  things  for  names. 

The  men  that  ask  us  where  our  chuixh  and  religion 
was,  either  know  not,  or  will  not  let  others  know  what 
our  religion  is.  Show  us,  say  they,  a  church  in  all 
ages  that  held  all  that  the  Protestants  hold,  or  else  they 


34  PREFACE. 

were  not  Protestants.  Forsooth,  we  must  receive  from 
them  a  definition  of  a  Protestant,  and  then  we  must 
prove  the  succession  of  such.  Know  therefore,  what 
is  the  thing  whose  succession  is  questioned.  A  Pro- 
testant is  a  Christian  that  holdeth  to  the  holy  scriptures, 
as  the  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  holy  living,  and  pro- 
testeth  against  Popery.  The  Protestant  churches  are 
societies  professing  the  Protestant's  religion.  The  Pro- 
testant religion  is  an  improper  speech;  but  the  Protest- 
ant's religion  is  a  phrase  that  we  shall  own.  For  Pro- 
testancy  is  not  our  religion  itself,  but  the  rejection  of 
Popish  corruptions  of  religion  or  defiling  additions. 
The  l^rotestant's  religion  is  the  holy  scriptures  alone. 
The  Papist's  religion  is  all  that  is  decreed  by  the  Pope 
and  councils.  Our  religion,  contained  in  the  scripture, 
hath  its  essentials  and  integrals.  All  the  essentials  and 
as  much  of  the  integrals  as  in  the  use  of  means  we  are 
enabled  to  understand,  we  believe  particularly  and  ex- 
plicitly: the  rest  we  believe  generally  and  implicitly  to 
be  all  true.  The  essentials  of  our  religion  are  only 
the  baptismal  covenant  expounded  in  the  creed,  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  Decalogue,  as  opened  by  Christ,  the  sum- 
maries of  things  to  be  believed,  willed,  and  done;  bap- 
tism being  appointed  by  Christ  himself,  for  the  true  and 
sufficient  symbol  of  our  faith,  to  put  men  into  the  right 
and  possession  of  church  communion  ;  and  the  depart- 
ing from  this  test  or  symbol,  made  by  Christ  himself, 
for  this  use,  is  the  lacerating  of  the  churches.  But  the 
whole  scriptures  contain  more,  even  the  integrals  and 
accidentals  of  our  religion. 

So  that,  as  the  Papists  will  not  permit  us  to  take  the 
writings  of  Gretser,  Bellarmin,  or  any  of  their  doctors, 
or  the  articles  of  their  divines  at  Thoren,  Ratisbon, 
&c.,  to  be  articles  of  their  faith,  but  only  those  that  are 
contained  in  general  councils  approved  by  the  Pope ; 
so  we  require  that  they  call  nothing  the  articles  of  our 
faith,  but  what  is  contained  in  the  said  summaries  and 
in  the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  the  only  rule  of  our  en- 
tire religion.  Do  they  know  our  religion  better  than 
we  do .-' 

The  Christian  religion  hath  been  in  all  ages  since 
Christ  in  visible  societies.     The  religion  of  Protestants 


PREFACE.  35 

is  the  Christian  religion.  Therefore,  the  religion  of 
Protestants  hath  been  in  all  ages  since  Christ,  in  visible 
societies. 

That  religion  which  is  contained  in  the  holy  scrip- 
ture, as  its  rule  or  sullicient  revelation,  hath  been  pro- 
fessed in  all  ages  in  visible  churches;  but  the  religion 
of  Protestants  is  contained  in  the  holy  scriptures  as  its 
rule  or  sulficient  revelation  :  therefore,  the  religion  of 
Protestants  haih  been  professed  in  all  ages  in  visible 
churches. 

We  name  the  societies  from  the  places  of  their  resi- 
dence. Our  church  began  at  Jerusalem,  and  thence 
was  dispersed  into  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe.  It  hath 
continued  in  Syria,  Ethiopia,  Egypt,  India,  Greece,  &c. 
If  I  could  name  but  one  nation  that  had  been  of  my 
religion,  I  should  suspect  it  were  not  the  true  religion. 
It  is  the  Christian  world  that  is  instead  of  a  catalogue 
to  us. 

O  but,  say  the  jugglers,  this  is  a  general  answer,  to 
say  vou  are  Christians  :  there  are  more  sorts  of  Chris- 
tians than  one.  I  reply,  it  is  the  general  or  Catholic 
religion  and  church  that  we  are  speaking  of;  and,  there- 
fore, if  it  were  not  such  a  general  answer,  it  were  not 
pertinent  to  the  question.  There  are  no  sorts  of  true 
Christians  but  one ;  that  is,  there  is  no  essential 
difference  among  them.  But  may  not  Christians  of 
several  degrees  of  knowledge  be  in  the  same  Catholic 
church  .''  Our  question  is  not,  where  any  sect,  or  any 
particular  church  liath  had  its  succession;  but  where 
that  Catholic  church  hath  been,  of  which  we  are  mem- 
bers. And  surely  Christ  hath  but  one  Catholic  church. 
0  but,  say  they,  would  you  make  men  believe  that 
Ethiopians,  Armenians,  Greeks,  &c.,  are  Protestants  i* 
Is  it  the  name  of  Protestants,  or  their  Religion,  that 
you  would  have  us  prove  a  succession  of?  Those  de- 
ceivers cheat  abundance  of  poor  souls  by  this  one 
device,  even  supposing  that  the  word  Protestant  doth 
denominate  our  church  from  its  essential  parts,  and  so 
call  for  a  catalogue  of  Protestants.  But  I  would  ask, 
whether  we  or  they  do  better  know  our  religion ; 
and  consequently  what  a  Protestant  is  ?  If  they 
know  it  at  all,  it  is  from  our  writings  or  expres- 
sions .'*     For  they  will  not  pretend  without  signs  to 


86  PREFACE. 

know  our  hearts,  and  that  better  than  ourselves.  A 
Protestant  is  a  Christian  that  protesteth  against  Popery. 
Christianity  is  our  religion.  Protestinnr  against  Popery 
is  our  rejection  of  your  corruptions  of  religion.  Men 
that  never  lieard  of  the  name  of  Papist  or  Protestant, 
may  be  of  the  same  religion  with  us.  If  many  nations 
of  the  world  never  received  Popery,  and  we  reject  it-  if 
they  never  knew  it,  and  we  know  it  and  disown  it:  are 
we  not  both  of  one  religion,  even  in  the  integrals  ? 
One  man  never  heard  of  the  leprosy:  another  catcheth 
it  and  is  cured  of  it:  and' a  third  flieth  from  it  and  pre- 
venteth  it ;  all  those  are  tr.uly  sound  men.  When  you 
call  to  us  for  a  proof  of  our  succession,  either  you  mean 
it  of  the  essentials  of  our  religion  and  church,  or  of  the 
negation  of  your  corruptions.  Either  you  mean  it  of 
the  points  that  we  are  agreed  in,  or  of  those  we  differ  in. 
Christianity  we  are  agreed  in  ;  and  that  is  our  religion, 
and  nothing  but  that,  Protestancy  is  but  our  wiping 
off'  the  dirt,  that  you  have  brought  upon  our  religion. 
Is  he  not  a  man  as  well  as  you  that  will  not  tumble 
with  you  in  the  dirt,  or  go  into  your  Pesthouse  ?  If 
we  know  not  our  own  religion,  then  we  cannot  tell  it 
you:  and  then  you  cannot  know  it:  but  if  we  do  know 
it,  believe  us  when  we  profess  our  own  belief.  We  owti 
no  religion  but  the  Christian  religion,  nor  any  church 
biit  the  Christian  church,  nor  dream  of  any  catholic 
church  but  one,  containing  all  the  true  christians  in  the 
world,  united  in  Jesus  Christ  the  Head.  W^e  protest 
before  men  and  Angels  that  it  is  the  Holy  Scriptures 
that  are  the  law  and  rule  and  test  of  our  religion  ;  and 
why  are  we  not  to  be  believed  in  this  our  own  profes- 
sion, as  well  as  you  are  in  yours,  when  you  make  the 
decrees  of  Popes  and  councils  to  be  your  law  and  rule 
and  tests? 

We  perform  therefore  more  than  you  demand.  You 
ask  us  where  was  our  church  before  Luther?  and  we 
answer  where  ever  the  Christian  religion  was,  and  the 
Holy  Scriptures  were  received.  But  we  tell  you  not 
only  where  our  church  and  religion  was,  but  where 
there  were  men  that  owned  not  your  grand  corruptions, 
more  than  we.  What  can  you  demand  more  of  us, 
when  you  call  for  a  succession  of  Protestants,  than  that 


PREFACE.  37 

we  tell  you  of  a  succession  of  christians  of  our  religion 
who  were  not  Papists,  and  against  Popery,  who  therefore 
were  of  our  integrity.  Who  knoweth  not  that  the  Abas- 
sines,  Armenians,  Egyptians,  Greeks,  &c.,  are  against 
your  Papal  sovereignty,  infallibility,  and  all  that  is  by 
us  renounced  as  essential  to  Popery,  though  not  against 
every  one  of  your  anti-christian  errors  ? 

O,  but,  say  the  jugglers,  those  are  not  Protestants; 
they  differ  from  you  in  many  particulars.  Call  them 
by  what  name  you  please,  they  are  anti-papists,  or  free 
from  Popery,  and  then  they  are  of  our  religion.  But 
must  the  \Vorld  be  made  to  believe  that  all  that  we  be- 
lieve is  essential  to  our  religion,  and  that  no  man  that 
differeth  from  us  can  be  of  our  religion,  be  the  differ- 
ence ever  so  small. -^ 

But,  say  they,  tell  us  of  a  church  that  professes  your 
articles.  Silly  deceivers!  Do  not  those  very  articles 
profess  that  the  "  holy  scripture  containeth  all  things  ne- 
cessary to  salvation,  so  that  whatever  is  not  read  there- 
in, nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  required  of 
any  man  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an  article  of  the 
faith,  or  bethought  requisite  or  necessary  to  salvation."' 
We  never  took  those  articles  instead  of  the  Scripture, 
but  the  articles  and  all  Protestants  profess  the  Scripture 
to  be  the  only  entire  rule  and  test  of  their  faith  and  reli- 
gion. The  substance  of  our  articles  may  easily  be 
proved  to  have  been  successively  held  by  the  church 
from  the  beijinninG::  but  it  is  not  incumbent  on  us  to 
prove  that  every  word  in  the  writings  of  every  divine 
or  church  hath  been  so  continued  ;  no  more  than  you 
will  own  the  writings  of  any  divines  or  provincial  sy- 
nods of  your  own,  as  being  the  rule  of  your  fauh.  As 
you  profess  that  the  decrees  of  Popes  and  general 
councils  approved  by  him,  besides  the  Scriptures,  are 
the  rule  and  test  of  your  religion  :  so  do  we  profess  that 
the  Scripture  alone,  with  the  law  of  nature,  is  the  rule 
of  ours. 

But,  what!  say  they,  will  you  be  ot  the  same  church 
with  Nestorians,  Eutychians,  and  oth  r  heretics.''  I 
answer:  we  will  not  take  all  for  Nestorians,  or  Euty- 
chians, that  a  railer  can  call  such,  that  never  knew 
them,  nor  can  prove  it.    Heretics,  indeed,  that  deny  anv 

4 


38  PREFACE, 

essential  part  of  Christianity,  are  no  Christians,  an^, 
therefore,  not  of  the  churcli  that  we  are  of:  but  if  you 
will  call  those  heretics  that  have  all  the  essentials  of 
Christianity,  because  they  err  in  less  points,  \re  know 
that  there  are  such  in  the  Catholic  church.  We  will  be 
none  of  them  ourselves,  if  we  can  escape  it :  yet,  indeed, 
we  have  no  hope  of  escaping  all  error  till  we  are  per- 
fect in  knowledge;  but  we  will  not  run  out  of  the  iamily 
of  God,  because  there  are  children  and  sick  persons  in 
it ;  nor  will  we  forsake  the  Catholic  church  because 
there  are  erring  persons  in  it. 

O  but,  saith  the  Papist,  we  acknowledge  not  your 
distinction  of  points  essential  and  not  essential ;  all 
points  of  faith  are  essential  with  us,  and  of  necessity  to 
salvation.  That  is  such  impudent  and  faithless  juggling 
as  may  make  one  blush  to  think  that  Christianity  hath 
such  professors.  The  outside  of  that  assertion  damneth 
all  the  world  who  live  to  the  use  of  reason.  The  inside 
of  their  deceitful  meaning  is  almost  clean  contrary,  and 
leaveth  heathens  and  infidels  in  a  state  of  salvation  as 
well  as  Christians.  It  makes  no  one  article  of  faith 
essential  to  a  Christian,  or  to  one  that  shall  be  saved ; 
and  turns  the  church  into  an  invisible  thing,  clean  con- 
trary to  their  own  assertions  of  its  visibility.  Thus 
they  wrangle  themselves  into  a  wood  of  contradictions 
and  unchristian  absurdities. 

The  outside  of  their  assertion  is  this ;  that  every 
point  that  we  are  bound  to  believe  by  a  divine  faith,  is 
fundamental  or  essential  to  Christian  faitli,  or  of  neces- 
sity to  salvation  :  and  if  then  no  man  breathing  can  be 
saved,  for  no  man  knoweth  all  that  he  is  bound  to  know, 
no  man  believeth  that  which  he  understandeth  not.  It 
is  impossible  to  believe  that  a  proposition  is  a  truth  dis- 
tinctly and  actually,  when  1  understand  not  what  the 
proposition  is.  That  we  all  know  but  in  part,  even 
what  we  are  obliged  to  know,  no  man  will  deny.  All 
that  God  hath  revealed  in  his  word,  is  tlie  matter  of  our 
faith.  No  man  can  say,  I  have  no  culpable  ignorance 
of  any  one  truth  of  God  that  I  should  believe.  Had  we 
been  more  perfect  in  our  diligent  studies  and  prayers, 
and  use  of  all  means;  and  had  we  never  sinfully  griev- 
ed the  spirit  that  should  illuminate  us,  to   say  nothing 


rilLFACE.  30 

of  our  original  sinful  darkness,  tlicre  is  not  one  of  us 
but  mi^ht  iiave  known  more  than  we  do.  If  sin  of  the 
will  and  life  be  consistent  with  true  faith,  then  some  sin 
in  the  understanding"  is  consistent  with  faith.  But,  ac- 
cording to  the  outside  of  their  doctrine,  no  man  that 
hath  any  sinful  ignorance,  and  consequently,  unbelief 
in  his  understanding,  can  be  saved;  that  is,  no  man  in 
the  world.  If  he  that  thinks  he  knoweth  any  thing, 
knoweth  nothing  as  he  ought  to  know,  I  Cor.  viii.  2., 
what  shall  be  said  of  those  men  that  think  they  and  all 
the  church  do  know  all  things  that  they  ought  to  know, 
and  that  their  understandings  havp  no  sin  ?  'And  must 
we  be  of  that  faith  that  damneth  all  men,  and  of  thai 
church  where  none  are  saved? 

As  the  outside  of  their  assertions  is  made  for  a  bug- 
hear  lo  frighten  fools,  so  the  inside  is  this  that  heathens 
and  infidels  may  be  of  their  church,  or  saved,  and  that 
nothing  of  the  Christian  foith  at  all  is  necessary  to 
salvation.  For  they  tell  us  that  they  mean,  that  all 
points  are  of  necessity,  where  they  are  sufficiently  pro- 
posed, and  men's  ignorance  is  not  invincible  ;  but  where 
there  is  no  sufficient  proposal,  but  men's  ignorance  is 
invincible,  or  such  as  comes  not  from  a  wilful  neglect 
of  means,  there  no  ignorance  of  the  articles  of  faith  is 
damnable,  and  so  no  article  absolutely  necessary. 
Hence,  the  question  indeed  is  not  whether  men  believe 
or  not,  but  whether  they  are  unbelievers  or  heathens, 
or  ignorant  persons,  by  a  wilful  neglect  of  sufficiently 
proposed  truth,  or  not.  So  that  all  that  part  of  the 
heathen  or  infidel  world  that  have  no  proposal  of  the 
Gospel,  may  not  only  be  saved,  but  be  better  and  safer 
than  Christians,  who  certainly  are  ignorant  of  some 
truth  which  they  ought  to  know^ 

But,  say  they,  it  will  not  stand  with  faith  to  deny  be- 
lief to  God  in  any  thing  sufficiently  revealed  ;  for  he 
that  believeth  him  in  one  thing,  believeth  him  in  all. 

Very  true,  if  they  know  it  to  be  the  word  of  God. 
And  if  this  be  all,  Protestants  believe  every  thing  with- 
out exception  which  they  know  to  be  a  divine  revela- 
tion :  and  no  wonder,  for  so  doth  every  man  that  believes 
that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he  is  no  liar.  But  may  it 
not  stand  with  faith  to  be  ignorant,  and  that  through 


40  PREFACE. 

sinful  negleet,  of  some  revealed  truth  of  God,  or  of  the 
meaning  of  his  word  ?  If  you  are  so  proud  as  to  think 
that  all  the  justified  are  perfect  and  have  no  sin,  yet  at 
least  consider  wlielher  a  man  that  livethin  Heathenism 
till  fourscore  years  of  age, and  then  turns  Christian,  is  not 
afterward  ignorant  through  his  former  sinful  negligence  1 
But  dare  you  say  that  you  have  no  sinful  ignorance  to 
bewail  /  Will  you  confess  none,  nor  beg  pardon,  nor 
be  bolden  to  Christ  to  pardon  it  ?  Thus  they  make  no 
point  of  faith  necessary,  while  they  seem  to  make  all 
necessary. 

By  this  Protean  juggling,  they  make  the  church  in- 
visible.    For  what  man  breathing  knoweth  the  secrets 
of  the  souls  of  others,  whether  they  have    resisted  or 
not  resisted  the  light  i'-^and  whether  they  are  ignorant 
of  the  articles  of  faith  upon  sinful  contempt,  or  for  want 
of  some  due  means  of  faith,  or  internal  capacity,  or  op- 
portunity?    We  are  as  sure  that  all  men  are  ignorant 
of  something  that  C4od  hath  revealed  to  be  known  in 
nature   and  Scripture,  as  that  they  are  men.     But  now 
whether  any  one  of  those  men  be  free  from  aggrava- 
tions of  his   ignorance,  and  that   in   every  point,  upon 
which  the  Papists  make  him  an  unbeliever,  is  unknown 
to  others.      When  the  faith  or  infidelity  of  men,  and  so 
their  being   in  the  church   or  out   of  it,   must  not  be 
known  by  the  matter  of  faith  which  they  profess,  but 
by  the  secret  passages  of  their  hearts,  their  willingness 
or  unwillingness,  resistance  or  non-resistance,  and  such 
like,  the  church  then  is  invisible.     No  man  can  say 
which  is  it,  nor  who  is  of  it.     He  that  professeth   not 
the  faith,  may  be  a  Catholic  ;  and  he  that  professeth  it, 
for  ought  they  know,  may  be  an  infidel,  as  being  sin- 
fully ignorant  of  some  one  truth  that   is  not   in   his 
express  confession.     Thus  by  confusion  the  builders  of 
Babel  mar  their  own  work. 

Bellarni,  de  Verbo  Dei,  lib.  4.  cap.  11,  saith  :  "In 
the  Christian  doctrine  both  of  faith  and  manners,  some 
things  are  necessary  to  salvation  to  all ;  as  the  know- 
ledge of  the  articles  of  the  Apostles'  creed,  of  the  Ten 
Commandments,  and  of  some  sacraments.  The  rest 
are  not  so  necessary,  that  a  man  cannot  be  saved  with- 
out the  explicit  knowledge,  belief,  and  profession  of 


PREFACE.  41 

ihcm  — Tliose  things  tliat  are  simply  necessary  and 
are  prufitable  to  all,  the  Apostles  preached  to  all. — 
All  things  are  written  by  the  Apostles  which  are  neces- 
sary to  all,  and  whicii  they  openly  preached  to  all." 

Costeru:3  Enchirid.  c.  1.  p.  49.  "  We  deny  not  that 
those  chief  heads  of  the  faith  which  are  to  all  Chris- 
tians necessary  to  be  known  to  salvation,  are  perspic- 
uously enough  comprehended  in  the  writings  of  the 
Apostles." 

Thus  they  are  forced  after  all  their  cavils,  to  say  as 
we,  in  distinguishing  of  articles  of  faith.  They  can- 
not be  ignorant,  that  the  church  hath  still  had  forms  of 
profession, 'which  were  called  her  symbols,  as  being  the 
badge  of  her  members;  and  did  not  suspend  all  upon 
ancertain  conjectures  about  the  frame  and  temper  of  the 
professor's  minds. 

But  if  indeed  it  be  not  the  want  of  necessary  articles 
cf  faith  thatlhey  accuse  us  of,  but  the  want  of  willing- 
ness or  diligence  to  know  the  truth,  let  them  prove 
their  accusaiions.  Do  they  think  we  would  not  as  wil- 
lingly know  the  truth  as  they  /  and  that  we  do  not  pray 
as  earnestly  for  Divine  illumination  .-'  Do  we  not  read 
their  books?  and  are  we  not  willing  to  confer  with  the 
wisest  of  them  that  can  inform  us  .''  When  Ave  prove 
a  succession  of  our  religion,  by  proving  a  succession 
of  such  as  adhered  to  the  Scriptures,  which  are  the  doc- 
trines of  our  religion,  an  argument  that  no  Papist  under 
heaven  -can  confute,  they  vainly  tell  us,  that  all  heretics 
pretend  t)  Scripture,  and  therefore  that  will  not  prove 
the  point. 

Doth  it  follow  that  Scripture  is  not  a  sufficient  rule  of 
our  religion,  because  heretics  may  pretend  to  it  ?  You 
take  our  articles  for  our  religion,  and  yet  may  heretics 
that  are  far  from  our  minds,  pretend  to  them  ;  and 
would  borrow  credit  from  it  to  their  heresies.  The 
law  of  the  land  is  the  rule  of  our  justice  ;  and  yet  law- 
yers and  th'?ir  clients  that  are  contrary  to  each  other,  do 
plead  it  for  their  contrary  causes.  Must  we  have  no  rule 
or  test  or  discovery  of  our  religion  which  a  heretic  can 
pretend  for  his  impiety.''  What  words  of  God  or  man 
are  not  capable  of  being  misinterpreted  .''  If  we  should 
give  you  every  day  a  confession  of  faith,  some  heretics 

4* 


42  przva.cz. 

might  pretend  to  hold  the  same.     No  wonder  then  if 
they  do  so  by  the  Scriptures, 

Can  any  learned  Papists  be  so  ignorant,  as  not  to 
know  that  the  authority  of  Popes  and  Councils  is  fre- 
quently pretended  for  contrary  opinions  among  them, 
and  by  many  heretics.  Will  they  therefore  grant  that 
the  decrees  of  Popes  and  Councils  are  no  sufficient  dis- 
covery of  their  faith  ?  If  heretics  pretending  to  your 
test  of  faith ,  disprove  not  that  to  be  your  faith,  then 
heretics  pretending  to  our  rule  and  test  of  faith,  v/hich 
is  the  Holy  Scripture,  U  no  proof  that  it  is  not  our  rule 
of  faith. 

Therefore,  the  proof  of  a  succession  of  such  churches 
as  have  received  the  Holy  Scriptures,  is  a  valid  proof 
of  a  succession  of  churches  of  our  religion,  seeing  we 
have  no  religion,  doctrinally,  but  the  Holy  Scriptures : 
yet  adding  that  we  prove  a  succession  also  of  churches 
that  never  owned  Popery:  even  the  greatest  part  of  the 
Christian  world.  But  let  those  men  themselves  but 
prove  to  us  a  succession  of  their  church,  even  such  as 
they  require  of  us,  let  them  prove  that  from  the  Apos- 
tles' days,  the  Catholic  church,  or  any  one  congrega- 
tion of  twenty  men,  did  hold  all  that  now  their  Councils 
and  Popes  have  decreed,  and  are  esteemed  articles  of 
their  faith,  and  I  am  contented  to  be  their  bond  slave 
forever,  or  to  be  used  by  them  as  cruelly  as  their  malice 
can  invent. 

In  the  very  principal  point  of  their  Papal  Sove- 
reignt}',  ihei/  have  nothing  but  this  gross  deceit  to  cheat 
the  ivorld  ivilh.  The  Roman  emperors  divers  ag^es 
after  Christ  did  give  the  Bishop  of  Rome  a  primacy 
in  their  empire,  and  hence  those  men  would  persuade 
us,  that  even  from  Christ  they  have  had  a  sovereignty 
over  all  the  Christian  world.  Wink  but  at  these  four 
mistakes  ;  that  Christ's  Institution  stands  in  stead  of  the 
emperor's  ;  that  ;divers  hundred  years  after  Christ,  it 
had  been  m  the  Apostles'  days  !  that  primacy  is  sove- 
reignty or  universal  government :  and  especially  grant 
them,  that  the  Roman  Empire  was  all  the  Christian 
world  ;  and  then  they  have  made  good  that  part  of  their 
cause. 

That  many  nations  without  the  reach  of  the  Roman 


PREFACE.  43 

Empire  liad  received  the  Cliristian  fiiiih,  is  a  Ijistorical 
luct  which  is  past  doubt.  Those  countries  were  not 
under  the  Roman  power :  and  none  of  them  were  gov* 
erned  by  the  l*ope. 

If  all  that  pan  of  the  Christian  world  that  was  out 
of  the  reach  of  the  lUiman  Empire,  did  never  submit 
to  the  sovereignty  of  the  Pope,  then  hath  he  not  been 
successively,  or  at  any  time  the  actual  head  of  the  uni- 
versal church.  The  Emperor's  mother  of  Abassia, 
ballled  the  Jesuits,  by  asking  them,  how  it  came  to  pass, 
if  obedience  to  the  Pope  be  necessary  to  salvation,  that 
they  never  had  heard  from  him  till  now? 

The  Indians,  Abassines,  Persians,  and  many  more 
in  the  East ;  and  the  Scots,  and  Irish,  and  Danes,  and 
Swedes,  and  Poles,  and  Muscovites,  and  most  of  Ger- 
many in  the  West  and  North,  were  not  subjects  of  the 
Pope. 

If  the  rule  and  test  of  the  faith  of  Papists  never  had 
a  real  being,  or  no  succession  from  the  Apostles,  then 
their  faith  and  church  hath  either  no  real  being,  or  no 
such  succession. 

It  is  either  general  councils,  or  Popes,  or  the  church 
essential,  as  they  call  it,  that  is,  the  whole  body,  that  is 
the  rule  of  their  faith.  If  it  be  general  councils  ;  they 
had  no  being  from  the  Apostles  till  the  council  of  Nice  ; 
therefore  the  rule  of  the  Papists'  faith  was  then  un- 
born. They  never  had  a  being  in  the  world:  for  there 
was  never  any  thing  like  a  general  council  since  the 
days  of  the  Apostles  to  this  day.  The  first  at  Nice 
had  none,  and  the  following  councils,  as  Constantinop. 
1.  &c.  were  only  out  of  one  piece  of  the  empire. 

If  it  be  not  general  councils,  but  the  Pope  that  is  the 
rule  of  their  faith  ;  then,  theiv  faith  hath  been  inter- 
rupted, and  turned  to  heresy  and  to  infidelity  when  the 
Pope  hath  so  turned.  Why  then  do  they  tell  our 
people,  that  they  take  not  the  Pope  for  the  rule  of  their 
faith  ? 

If  it  be  the  major  part  of  the  universal   church,  it 
is  known  that  two  to  one  are  against  them  :  therefore  by 
that  rule,  their  faith  in  the  Papal  sovereignty  is  false 
and  it  would   be  hard,  if  a  man   must   be  of  no  belief, 
till  he  have  brought  the  world  to  the  polls  for  it 


44  PREFACE. 

If  all  the  stir  that  the  Papists  make  in  the  world  for 
the  Papal  government  he  but  to  rob  Christian  magis- 
trates of  their  power,  then  are  they  but  a  seditious  sect. 
There  are  but  two  sorts  of  government  in  the  church: 
the  one  is  by  the  word  applied  unto  the  conscience, 
which  worketh  only  on  the  willing;  either  by  preach- 
ing, or  by  personal  application,  as  in  sacraments,  ex- 
communication and  absolution  :  and  this  is  the  work  of 
the  present  pastors,  and  cannot  be  performed  by  the 
Pope.  The  other  is  by  command,  that  shall  be  seconded 
with  force  ;  which  is  proper  to  the  magistrate. 


i 


INTRODUCTORY 


PoPEaT  contrary  to  Unity. — Dirsctions  for  Prolesiunls  iclio  argue 
with  P.:pisls. — Seven  argnmenls  ae;(iinst  Pop  ry. — Popery  is  falss. — 
Opposes  Ckrislian  love. — Teadics  ri  bellian  to  civil  ^ovcrnm^its. — Is  (ni 
itnlioJy  suslem. — Tke  Papists  are  two  coniinunilies,  and  h  tve  iico  sov- 
ereign heaJs. — The  ancient  Roma jicli arch  has  ceassd. — Popery  is  con- 
trary to  our  senses. 

The  thoughts  of  the  divided  state  of  Christians  have 
Inonght  grord  and  constant  sadness  to  my  soul  :  espe- 
ciallv'  ^Yhen  1  remember,  that  while  we  are  quarrelling', 
and  plotting,  and  v/riting,  and  fighting  against  each 
other,  so  many  parts  of  the  world  remain  in  the  infidel- 
ity of  Heathenism,  Judaism  or  Mohammedism,  where 
millions  of  poor  souls  do  need  our  help;  and  if  all 
our  strength  were  joined  together  for  their  illu- 
mination and  salvation,  it  would  be  too  little.  Oh 
horrible  shame  to  the  face  of  Christendom,  that  the  na- 
tions are  quietly  serving  the  devil,  and  yet  that  instead 
of  combining  to  resist  him,  and  vindicate  the  cause  and 
people  of  the  Lord,  we  are  greedily  sucking  the  blood 
of  one  another,  and  tearing  in  pieces  the  body  of  Christ 
with  furious  hands,  and  destroying  ourselves  to  save 
the  enemy  a  labor;  and  spending  that  wit,  that  treas- 
ure, that  labor  and  that  blood,  to  dash  ourselves  in  pieces 
on  one  another,  which  might  be  nobly,  and  honestly, 
and  happily  spent  in  the  cause  of  God. 

These  thoughts  provoked  me  to  consider,  how  the 
wounds  of  the  church  might  yet  be  healed  :  and  I  have 
made  it  long  a  principal  part  of  my  daily  prayers,  that 
God  would  give  healing  principles  and  dispositions 
unto  men.  But  the  more  I  studied  how  it  might  be 
done,  the  more  difficult,  if  not  impossible  it  appeared, 


46  JESUIT 

because  of  the  Roman  tyranny]  the  Vice-Christ  or 
pretended  Head  of  the  church,  being  with  them  become 
an  essential  part  of  it,  and  the  subjection  to  him  essen- 
tial to  our  Christianity  itself  So  that  saith  Bellarmin 
de  Eccles.  1.  3.  c.  5.  No  man,  though  he  would,  can 
be  a  subject  of  Christ,  that  is  not  subject  to  the  Pope ; 
and  this  with  abundance  of  intolerable  corruptions  they 
have  fixed  by  the  foncy  of  their  own  infallibility,  and 
built  upon  this  foundation  a  worldly  kingdom,  and  the 
temporal  riches  and  dignity  of  a  numerous  clergy, 
twisting  some  princes  also  into  their  interest,  so  that  they 
cannot  possibly  yield  to  us  in  the  very  principal  points 
of  difference,  unless  they  will  deny  the  very  essence  of 
their  new  society,  pluck  up  the  foundations  which  they 
have  so  industriously  laid,  and  leave  men  to  a  suspi- 
cion that  they  are  fallible  hereafter,  if  they  shall  con- 
fess themselves  mistaken  in  any  thing  now  ;  and  unless 
they  will  be  so  admirably  self  denying,  as  to  let  go  the 
temporal  advantages  in  which  so  many  thousands  of 
them  are  interested.  Whether  so  much  light  may  be 
hoped  for,  or  so  much  love  to  God,  and  self  denial  in 
millions  of  men  so  void  of  self  denial,  it  is  easy  to  con- 
jecture :  and  we  cannot  in  these  greatest  matters  come 
over  to  them,  unless  we  will  flatly  betray  our  souls, 
and  depart  from  the  unity  of  the  Catholic  church.  If 
we  should  thus  cast  away  the  truth  and  favor  of  God, 
and  sin  against  our  knowledge  and  conscience,  and  so 
prove  men  of  no  faith  or  religion,  under  pretence  of 
desiring  a  unity  in  faith  and  religion,  yet  all  would  not 
do  the  thing  intended,  but  we  should  certainly  miss  of 
those  very  ends  which  we  seek,  when  we  had  sold  the 
truth  and  our  souls  to  obtain  them.  For  there  is  no- 
thing more  certain,  than  that  the  Christian  world  will 
never  unite  with  the  Roman  Vice-Christ,  nor  agree  with 
them  in  their  corruptions,  against  plain  Scripture,  tra- 
dition, consent  of  the  ancient  church,  and  the  reason 
and  common  sense  of  mankind.  Never  did  the  uni- 
versal church,  or  one  half  of  it  center  in  the  Roman 
sovereignty  :  and  why  should  they  hope  for  that  which 
never  yet  was  done .''  When  they  had  their  primacy 
of  place,  it  made  the  Pope  no  more  a  sovereign  and  a 
Vice-Christ,  than  the  King  of  France  is  sovereign  to 


JUGGLING.  47 

the  Duke  of  Saxony  or  Bavaria;  or  tlian  the  senior 
justice  on  the  bench  is  the  soverei<^ii  of  the  rest:  and 
yet  even  this  much  he  never  had  but  from  the  Roman 
Kmpire.  What  chiim  did  he  ever  lay  in  his  first  usur- 
pations to  any  ciiurch  without  those  bounds/  It  was 
the  empire  that  raised  him,  and  the  empire  limited  his 
own  usurpations.  Reinerius,  Cont  Waldens.  Catal.  in 
Ciblioth.  l\iir.  to  4.  p.  773;  saith  :  "  the  churches  of  the 
Armenians,  and  Ethiopians,  and  Indians,  and  the  rest 
which  the  Apostles  converted,  are  not  under  the  church 
of  Rome,"  In  Gregory's  days,  they  found  the  churches 
of  Britain  and  Ireland  both  strangers  and  adversaries  to 
their  sovereignty  :  insomuch  that  they  could  not  procure 
them  to  receive  their  government,  nor  change  the  time 
of  Easter  for  them,  nor  to  have  communion  with  them. 
In  the  year  G14,  Laurentius  wrote  a  letter,  Avith  Mellitus 
and  Justus,  to  the  Bishops  and  Abbots  in  Scotland. 
'  We  happened  to  enter  this  island,  called  Britain,  before 
we  knew  them;  and  believing  that  they  walked  after 
the  manner  of  the  universal  church,  we  reverenced  both 
the  Britains  and  the  Scots  in  great  reverence  of  their 
sanctity.  When  we  knew  the  Britains,  we  thought  the 
Scots  were  better.  But  we  have  learnt  by  Daganus 
and  by  Columbanus  the  Abbot,  that  the  Scots  do  nothing 
differ  from  the  Britains  in  their  conversation.  For 
Daganus  coming  to  us,  refused  not  only  to  eat  with  u?, 
but  even  to  eat  in  the  same  house  where  we  did  eat." 
Usher.  Epist.  llibern. 

The  work  that  here  I  have  undertaken,  is  this — to 
give  you  a  few  invincible  arguments,  which  the  weak- 
est may  be  able  to  use,  to  overthrow  the  principal 
grounds  of  the  Papists;  and  to  .letect  their  frauds,  with 
sufficient  directions  for  the  confutation  of  all  the  Pa- 
pists in  the  world. 

Before  I  mention  the  grouiids  or  cause  that  you  must 
maintain,  I  must  premise  this  advice. 

Understand  what  the  religion  is  that  you  must  hold 
and  maintain.  It  is  the  ancient  Christian  religion. 
Do  not  put  every  truth  among  the  essentials  of  your 
religion.  Our  religion  doth  not  stand  or  fall  with  every 
controversy  that  is  raised  about  it.  That  which  was 
the  true  religion  in  tne  Apostles'  days  is  ours  now : 


48  JESUIT 

that  which  all  were  baptized  into  the  profession  of,  and 
the  churches  openly  held  forth  as  their  belief     Re- 
formation brings  us  not  a  new  religion,  but  cleanseth 
the    old    from  the    dross  of  Popery,   which   by  inno- 
vation they  had  brought  in.     A  man   that  cannot  con- 
fute a  Papist,  may  yet  be  a  Christian,  and  so  hold  fast 
the  true  religion.     It  followeth  not  that  our  religion  is 
unsafe,  if  some  point  in  controversy  between  them  and 
us  be  questionable  or  hard      The  Papists  would  fain 
bring  you  to  believe  that  our   religion  must  lie  upon 
some  of  those  controversies.      |-*erhaps  you  will   say, 
that  then   it  is  not  about  religion  that  we  differ  from 
them.      I  answer,  yes  :  it  is  about  the  essentials  of  their 
religion,   and   for  the  preserving    of  the    integrity  of 
ours  against  the  consequences  and  additions  of  theirs. 
They  have  made  them  a  new  religion,  which  we  call 
Popery,  and  joined  this  to  the  old  religion,  which  we 
call  Christianity.     Now  we   stick    lo  the   old  religion 
alone  ;  and  therefore  there  is  more  essential  to  their  reli- 
gion, than  there  is  to  ours  ;  so  that  our  own  religion,  even 
the  ancient  Christianity, is  out  of  controversy  between  us. 
The  Papists  do  confess  that  the  creed,  the  Lord's  prayer, 
the    Ten    Commandments  arc  true,   and   that  all  the 
Scripture  being  the  word  of  God,  is  certainly  true:  so 
that  our  religion  is  granted  us  as  past  dispute.     There- 
fore it  is  only  the  Papists'  religion  that  is  in  question 
between  us,  and  not  ours.     If  you  will  make  those 
lower  truths  to  be  of  the  essence  of  your  religion  which 
are  not,  you  will  give  the  Papists  the  advantage  which 
they  desire. 

If  the  Papists  call  for  a  rule,  or  test  of  your  religion, 
and  ask  you  where  thay  may  find  it,  assign  them  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  not  any  confessions  of  churches, 
further  tiian  as  they  agreee  with  that.  We  know  of 
no  divine  rules  and  laws  of  faith  and  life,  but  the  Holy 
Scripture.  The  confessions  of  churches  are  but  part  of 
the  Holy  Scripture,  or  collections  out  of  them,  contain- 
ing the  points  of  greatest  weight.  And  if  in  phrase  or 
order,  much  more  in  matter,  there  be  any  thing  human, 
we  make  it  not  our  rule,  nor  are  we  bound  to  make  it 
good,  no  more  than  tlie  writings  of  godly  men.  A 
point  is  not  therefore  with  us  an  article  of  faith,  because 


JtJGOLl^IG.  49 

our  churches  or  a  synod  put  it  into  a  confession,  but 
because  it  is  the  word  of  God.  For  a  council's  deter- 
minations do  with  us  difler  but  gradually  from  the 
judgment  of  a  single  man,  in  this  respect.  And  there- 
fore we  give  them  the  Scriptures  only  as  the  full  doc- 
trine of  our  faith,  and  the  perfect  law  of  God.  Those 
points  in  it,  which  life  or  death  is  laid  upon,  and  God 
hath  told  us,  we  cannot  be  saved  without,  we  take 
them  as  the  essentials  of  our  religion,  and  the  rest  as 
the  integrals  only.  The  essentials  are  the  Baptismal 
Covenant,  explained  in  the  Creed,  Lord's  Prayer  and 
Decalogue. 

Understand  well  what  is  the  catholic  church,  that 
when  tiie  Papists  ask  you  what  church  you  are  of,  or 
call  to  you  to  prove  its  antiquity  or  truth,  you  may  give 
them  a  sound  and  catholic  answer.  The  catholic 
church  is  the  whole  number  of  true  Christians  upon 
earth  ;  for  we  meddle  not  with  that  part  which  is  in 
Heaven.  It  is  not  tied  to  Protestants  only,  nor  to  th« 
Greeks  only,  much  less  to  the  Romanists  only,  or  to 
any  other  party  whatsoever;  but  it  comprehendeth  all 
the  members  of  Christ :  and  as  visible,  it  containeth  all 
that  profess  the  Christian  Religion  by  a  credible  pro- 
fession. If  the  Christian  Religion  may  be  known,  then 
a  man  may  know  that  he  is  a  Christian,  and  conse- 
quently a  member  of  the  catholic  church.  But  if  the 
Christian  Religion  cannot  be  known,  then  no  man  can 
know  which  is  the  church  or  which  is  a  Christian.  All 
Christians  united  to  Christ  the  head  are  this  catholic 
church. 

I  shall  now  give  you  some  easy  arguments,  by  which 
even  the  weakest  may  prove  that  Popery  is  but  "  all 
deceivahleness  of  unrighteousness.'''' — 2  Thess  .2  .9,  10. 

I.  If  there  be  any  godly  honest  men  on  earth  be- 
sides  Papists,  then  Popery  is  false  and  not  of  God. 
But  there  be  godly  honest  men  on  earth  besides  Papists 
— therefore  Popery  is  false,  and  not  of  God. 

It  is  an  article  of  Popish  faith,  that  there  are  no  god- 
ly honest  men  on  earth  besides  Papists  :  therefore  if 
there  be  any  such.  Popery  is  false.  By  godly  honest 
men,  I  mean  such  as  have  true  love  to  God,  and  so  are 
in  a  state  of  salvation.     Their  very  definition  of  the 

5 


50  JESUIT 

church  doth  make  the  Pope  the  head,  and  confine  the 
membership  only  to  his  subjects,  making  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  as  they  call  it  the  whole.  But  lest 
^ny  ignorant  Papist  say,  /  may  he  a  Roman  Catholic 
uithout  believing  that  all  others  are  ungodly,  and 
shall  be  damned,  I  give  it  you  in  the  determination  of 
a  Pope  and  general  council.  Leo,  X.  Abro^:  Pragm. 
sanct.  Bull,  in  the  seventeenth  general  council  at  the 
Lateran,  saitb,  seeing  it  is  of  necessity  to  salvation, 
that  all  the  faithful  of  Christ  be  subject  to  the  Pope  of 
Rome,  as  we  are  taught  by  the  testimony  of  Divine 
Scripture,  and  of  the  Holy  Fathers,  and  it  is  declared 
in  the  constitution  of  Pope  Boniface  VIII.  Pope  Pius 
II.  was  converted  from  being  j^noias  Sylvius  by  this 
doctrine  of  a  cardinal,  approved  by  him  at  large,  Bull. 
Retract.  inBinius,  vol.  4.,  p.  514.  I  came  to  the  foun- 
tain of  truth,  u-hich  the  holy  doctors  both  Greek  and 
Latin  shew ;  icho  iciih  one  voice  say,  that  he  cannot  be 
saved  that  holdeth  not  the  unity  of  the  holy  church  of 
Rome;  and  that  all  those  virtues  are  maimed  to  him 
that  refuseth  to  obey  the  Pope  of  Rome:  though  he  lie 
in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  fast  and  pray  both  day  and 
night,  and  seem  in  all  other  things  to  fulfil  the  law  of 
God.  So  that  if  a  Pope  and  general  council  be  false, 
then  Popery  is  false.  For  their  infallibility  is  the 
ground  of  their  faith,  and  they  take  it  on  their  unerring 
authority.  But  if  the  Pope  and  a  general  council  be 
believed,  then  no  man  but  a  subject  of  the  Pope  can  be 
saved:  though  he  fast  and  pray  in  sackcloth  and  ashes 
day  and  night,  and  fulfil  the  law  of  God.  Itis  certain 
therefore  that  if  any  Roman  Catholic  do  not  believe 
that  all  the  world  shall  be  damned  save  themselves,  they 
are  indeed  no  Roman  Catholics,  but  are  heretics ;  for 
they  deny  a  principal  article  of  their  faith  ;  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  Pope  with  a  general  council,  which  is 
your  very  foundation. 

Therefore  even  in  the  great  and  charitable  work  of 
reducing  the  Ahassines,  the  Jesuit  Gonzalus  Roderi- 
cus  in  his  speech  to  the  emperor's  mother  laid  so  great 
a  stress  on  this  point,  that  when  she  professed  her  sub- 
jection to  Christ,  lie  told  her,  that  None  are  subject  to 
Christ,  that  are  not  subject  to  his  Vicar.  Godignus 
de  reb.   Abassin.   Lib.  2.  c.  18.  Roderic.  liter,  j).  323. 


JUGGLING.  51 

Bcllnrnihisahh,  dc  Eccl.  I.  3.  c.  5.  No  man  ihov<rh 
lie  uould  can  he  subject  to  Christ  that  is  not  subject  to 
(be  Pope  ,  that  is  he  cannot  be  a  (.'hrislian.  Therefore 
Cardinal  Richlicu  told  the  Protestants  tliat  they  were 
not  to  be  called  Christians.  Abundance  more  of  them 
^assert  that  Protestants  cannot  be  saved  I  now  prove 
that  your  Pope,  and  council,  and  faith  are  false,  and 
that  others  beside  you  may  be  in  a  state  of  charity  and 
salvation.  For  you  confess  yourselves,  that  he  that  is 
in  a  state  of  charity,  is  in  a  state  of  salvation. 

If  a  man  may  know  his  own  heart,  then  there  are 
others  besides  Papists  that  are  in  charity,  and  arc  god- 
hi  men  :  and  so  in  a  state  of  salvation. 

The  consequence  is  plain  by  inward  experience  to 
every  godly  honest  man  that  knoweth  himself  If  I 
can  know  my  own  heart,  I  must  needs  say,  I  love  God, 
and  am  not  void  of  sincere  godliness  and  honesty. 
And  that  I  may  know  my  own  heart  I  can  tell  also  by 
experience:  for  to  know  my  own  knowledge  and  will 
is  an  ordinary  certain  thing,  if  not  by  intuition  itself 
And  if  a  man  cannot  know  whether  he  believe  and  love 
God  or  not,  then  no  man  can  give  thanks  for  it,  nor 
make  profession  of  it :  for  men  cannot  converse  togeth- 
er, if  they  cannot  know  their  own  minds.  Bellarmin 
confesseth  that  we  may  have  a  moral  conjectural  cer- 
tainty that  we  have  true  love  and  are  justified.  Then 
I  have  a  moral  conjectural  certainty  at  least,  that  Po- 
pery is  false  ;  because  I  have  at  least  such  a  certainty 
that  I  am  not  ungodly  or  unjustified.  So  that  what 
measure  of  knowledge  or  persuasion  any  Protestant 
hath  that  he  is  truly  honest  and  justified,  that  measure 
of  knowledge  must  he  needs  have,  if  he  understand.* 
himself,  that  Popery  is  a  deceit. 

So  that  hence  you  may  gather  these  four  conclusions  : 
That  all  that  have  any  knowledge  or  'persuasion  that 
they  are  not  ungodly,  unjustified  persons  themselves, 
and  void  of  the  true  love  of  God  ;  are  quite  out  of  dan- 
ger from  turning  Papists,  if  they  understand  but  what 
Popery  is  ;  and  if  they  do  not,  they  cannot  turn  to 
it,  but  in  part. 

That  never  any  honest  godly  man  did  turn  Papist] 
and  this  the  Papists  themselves  will  justify.     For  they 


52  JESUIT 

say,  by  a  Pope  and  general  council,  that  no  man  can 
be  saved  but  a  Papist :  and  they  generally  hold,  that  all 
that  have  charity  and  are  justified,  shall  be  saved  if 
they  so  die.  So  that  if  Popery  be  true,  then  no  man 
had  charity  or  true  godliness  before  he  was  a  Papist; 
and  therefore  never  did  one  godly  man  or  woman  turn 
Papist.  And  therefore  let  them  take  the  honor  of  their 
wicked  seduced  ones.  What  glory  is  it  to  them  that 
none  ever  turned  to  them  but  ungodly  people? 

It  folio welh  that  the  Papists  do  yiot  so  much  as  desire 
or  ifiviie  any  godly  man  to  turn  to  them.  If  you  under- 
stand their  meaning,  they  call  you  not  to  turn  to  them, 
if  you  are  not  ungodly  persons. 

Hence,  every  one  that  turneth  Papist,  doth  thereby 
confess  that  he  was  a  wicked  man  before,  and  that  he 
had  not  the  least  true  love  to  God ;  that  he  was  not  jus- 
tified, but  a  graceless  wretch. 

All  you  that  do  but  know  or  hope  that  you  have 
any  saving  grace,  have  an  argument  here  against 
Popery,  which  all  the  Jesuits  in  the  world  cannot 
confute.  For  you  know  your  own  hearts  belter  than 
they:  and  they  have  no  way  to  turn  you  to  them,  but 
by  persuading  you  that  you  are  not  what  you  are,  and 
that  you  know  not  what  you  know.  So  that  plain- 
ly this  is  your  argument;  /  know,  or  I  have  good 
persuasioji  that  I  am  not  utterly  void  of  charity  or  sa- 
ving grace]  therefore  I  know,  or  have  the  same  per- 
suasion that  Popery  is  false,  which  determineth  thai 
none  have  charity  or  saving  grace  hut  Papists. 

A  man  may  have  a  very  strong  conjecture  that 
many  others  that  are  no  Papists  have  saving  grace; 
though  he  had  no  persuasion  that  he  hath  such  grace 
himself;  consequently  he  must  have  as  strong  a  con- 
jecture that  Popery  is  false.  What  abundance  of  holy, 
heavenly  persons  have  we  known  of  all  ranks  among 
us!  Such  as  have  lived  in  daily  breathings  after  God, 
spending  no  small  part  of  their  lives  upon  their  knees, 
and  in  the  serious  and  reverent  attendance  upon  God 
in  holy  vvorsliij),  meditating  day  and  night  upon  his 
law;  hating  all  known  sin,  and  delighting  in  lioli- 
ness,  and  longing  for  perfection  ;  and  living  in  con- 
stant temperance  and   chastity,  abhorring  the  very  ap- 


JUCGLlNCv  53 

pearance  of  evil,  and  making  conscience  of  an  idle 
word  or  thought,  devoting  their  lives  and  labors,  and 
all  they  have  to  God,  giving  all  their  estates  to  pious 
and  charitable  uses,  except  what  is  necessary  for  their 
daily  bread,  even  mean  clothing  and  food  ;  taming  their 
bodies,  and  bringing  them  into  subjection,  and  deny- 
ing themselves,  and  mortifying  the  flesh,  and  contem- 
ning all  the  honors  or  riches  of  the  world,  resolving 
to  suffer  death  itself,  as  many  of  their  brethren  have 
done  from  the  Papists,  rather  than  sin  willfully  against 
God  and  their  consciences  :  in  a  word  living  to  God 
and  longing  to  be  with  him,  and  manifesting  those  long- 
ings to  the  very  death;  grieving  more  at  any  time,  if 
they  have  but  lost  the  sense  and  persuasion  of  the  love 
of  God,  than  if  they  had  lost  all  the  world;  and  would  give 
a  thousand  worlds,  if  they  had  them,  for  more  of  the  love 
of  God  in  their  souls,  and  fuller  assurance  of  his  love 
and  communion  with  him.  As  far  as  words,  and 
groans,  and  tears,  and  the  very  drift  of  a  man's  life, 
and  the  expending  of  all  that  he  hath,  can  help  us  to 
know  another  man's  heart,  so  far  do  we  know  all  this 
by  others,  that  have  lived  among  us.  And  may  we 
not  conjecture,  and  be  strongly  persuaded  that  these, 
or  some  of  these,  or  some  one  of  these,  was  a  holy, 
justified  person? 

If  ever  you  are  tempted  to  be  a  Papist,  look  on  one 
side  on  the  lives  of  holy  men,  such  as  Bradford,  Glo- 
ver, Sanders,  Hooper,  and  the  rest  that  laid  down  their 
lives  in  the  flames  in  testimony  against  Popery:  be- 
sides all  the  thousands  that  in  other  nations  have  died 
by  the  Papists'  hands,  because  they  durst  not  sin  against 
God:  and  besides  all  the  learned  holy  divines  of  other 
nations,  and  the  millions  of  godly  Protestants  there; 
as  also  look  upon  all  the  godly  that  are  now  living, 
men  or  women,  that  live  in  most  earnest  seeking  after 
God  and  serving  him  ;  look  on  those  about  you,  inquire 
of  others;  read  the  writings  of  holy  divines:  and  then 
remember,  you  cannot  turn  Papist  till  you  have  con- 
cluded that  all  those  are  daimied,  and  are  utterly  void 
of  saving  grace  and  love  of  God.  If  there  be  but  one 
Protestant  that  you  know,  or  any  one  of  all  that  have 
been,  that  you  take  to  be  in  a  saving  state,  you  cannot 

5* 


54  JESUIT 

possibly  turn  Papist,  if  you  know  what  you  do.     For 
it  is  essential  to  Popery  to  contradict  all  this. 

Is  this  an  easy  task  to  one  that  hath  the  heart  of  a 
rnan  in  his  breast?  If  you  are  not  true  Christians  your- 
selves, dare  you  conclude  that  not  one  of  those  are  true 
Christians?  If  j^ou  confess  that  you  love  not  God 
yourselves,  dare  you  say  that  among  the  far  greater 
part  of  the  Christians  of  the  world,  there  is  not  one 
man  or  Avoman  that  loves  God  ?  This  you  must  say, 
if  you  will  be  a  Papist. 

Many  who  are  not  Papists  are  good  Christians,  and 
consequently  Popery  is  a  deceit,  and  that  is  the  testi- 
mony of  many  of  their  onm  writers.  I  will  not  call 
for  their  testimony  concerning  ourselves,  but  concern- 
ing other  churches  whom  they  condemn  as  heretics, 
that  are  jiot  subjects  of  the  Pope  of  Rome.  I  will  con- 
tent myself  with  one  of  many  that  might  be  cited. 
Burchardus,  that  lived  in  the  Holy  Land,  saith  of  them 
as  followelh,  ;;.  325,  326 — And  for  those  that  we  judge 
to  be  damned  heretics,  as  the  Ncstorians,  Jacobites, 
Maronites,  Georgians,  and  the  like,  I  fou7id  them  to  be, 
for  the  most  part  good  and  simple  men,  aiid  livirig  sin- 
cerely toward  God  and  men 

Of  the  Roman  Catholics  he  saith,  p.  o2o.—^Thcre 
are  in  the  Land  of  Promise  men  of  eve'/ y  nation  under 
Heaven,  and  every  nation  live  after  their  oicn  rites: 
ayid,  to  speak  the  very  truth,  to  our  oion  great  confu- 
sion, there  are  none  found  in  it,  that  are  worse,  and 
more-  corrupt  in  manners  than  Papists. 

He  also  tells  us,  p.  324,  that  the  Syrians,  Greeks,  Ar- 
menians, Georgians,  Nestorians,  Nubians,  Jubeans. 
Clmlda:ans,  Maronites,  Ethiopians,  Egyptians,  and 
many  other  nations,  theie  inhabit;  and  that  some  arc 
not  subject  to  the  Pope  ;  and  others  called  Heretics,  as 
the  Nestorians,  Jacobites,  &c.  but  there  are  many  in  those 
sects  that  are  very  sincere,  know  nothing  of  heresies: 
devoted  to  Christ:  so  that  they  far  excel  the  religious 
of  Rome.     So  you  hear  an  adversary's  testimony. 

Well  then,  when  a  Papist  can  prove  to  me,  that  1 
love  not  God,  contrary  to  my  own  experience  of  myself: 
and  when  he  can  make  me  believe  that  no  one  of  all 
the  holy  heavenly  Christians  of  my  acquaintance,  min 


JUGGLING.  55 

isters,  or  people,  are  in  a  slate  of  charily  or  justification  : 
and  tliat  no  one  Christian  on  e:  rth  shall  be  saved  but  a 
Papist,  then  I  will  turn  Papist  But  I  must  solenanlv 
profess  that  this  belief  is  so  difficult  to  inc,  and  abhorred 
by  niy  reason,  and  wy  whole  heart,  and  so  contrary  to 
niy  own  knowledge,  and  to  abundant  evidence,  and  to 
all  Christian  charity,  that  1  think  1  shall  as  soon  be 
persuaded  to  believe  that  I  am  not  a  man,  and  that  1 
have  not  the  use  of  sense  or  reason,  or  that  snow  is 
black,  and  the  crow  white,  as  to  believe  this  essential 
point  of  Popery.  I  should  a  hundred  times  easier  be 
brought  to  doubt  whether  I  have  the  love  of  God  my- 
self than  to  conclude  all  the  Christians  in  the  world 
to  be  the  heirs  of  damnation. 

II.  Tkat  docirhie  is  not  true  nor  of  God,  which 
Icachcth  men  to  renounce  all  christian  love  and  works 
of  Christia?i  love,  towards  most  of  the  Christians  tipon 
earth  :  but  so  doth  the  doctrine  of  Popery ;  therefore 
it  is  not  of  God. 

If  their  error  were  merely  speculative,  it  were  the 
less:  but  here  we  see  the  fruits  of  it,  and  whither  it 
tends.  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  dis- 
ciples, if  ye  love  one  another. — John  13:   35. 

This  special  love  is  the  commandment  of  Christ,  the 
new  commandment ;  without  this,  no  man  can  be  a 
lover  ot  God,  nor  be  loved  of  him  as  a  member  of 
Christ.       1  John  3:  11,  12,  14,23;  4:  7,  8,  11,    12,  20, 

21.  2  John  5.     John  13:  34;  15:    12,  17.      1  Pet.  1. 

22.  lie  that  loveth  not  a  Christian  as  a  Christian, 
with  a  special  love,  is  none  of  the  sons  of  God.  Papists 
teach  men  to  deny  this  special  Christian  love  to  most 
Christians  in  the  world.  They  that  teach  men  to  take 
most  true  Christians  in  the  world  for  no  true  Christians, 
but  for  heretics  or  ungodly  persons  that  shall  be  damned, 
do  teach  them  to  deny  the  special  love  and  works  of 
love  to  most  true  Christians  :  but  thus  do  the  I^apists. 
How  can  a  man  love  him  as  a  Christian  or  a  godly 
man,  whom  he  must  take  to  be  no  Christian,  or  an  un- 
godly man?  It  is  true  they  may  yet  love  them  as 
creatures,  and  so  they  must  the  devils;  and  they  may 
love  them  as  men,  and  so  they  must  the  Turks  and 
Heathens:  but  no  man  can  love  him  as  a  member  of 


56  JESUIT 

Christ,  whom  he  believes  to  be  no  member  of  Christ, 
but  of  the  devil.  All  Papists  are  bound  to  this  unchax- 
itableness  by  their  religion,  even  by  the  Pope  and  gen- 
eral councils.  Christ  bindeth  his  servants  to  love  one 
another  with  a  special  love  ;  so  the  Pope  and  council 
bind  the  Papists  not  to  love  the  most  true  Christians 
with  a  special  Christian  love.  They  cannot  do  it  with- 
out being  heretics  themselves,  or  overthrowing  the 
foundation  of  Popery, 

Here  you  have  a  taste  of  the  Popish  charity,  when 
they  boast  above  all  things  of  their  charity.  It  is  their 
horrible  inhuman  uncharitableness  that  seems  to  me 
their  most  enormous  crime.  Also  you  may  see  here 
the  extent  of  their  good  works,  which  they  so  much 
glory  in.  He  that  is  bound  not  to  love  me  as  a  Chris- 
tian, is  bound  to  do  nothing  for  me  as  a  Christian.  So 
that  they  will  not  give  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  disciple 
in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  unless  he  be  also  a  disciple  of 
the  Pope :  nor  can  they  love  or  relieve  Christ  in  his 
servants,  when  they  are  bound  to  take  them  as  none  of 
his  servants:  and  so  the  special  love  and  charity  of  a 
Papist  extendeth  to  none  but  those  of  their  own  sect, 
Let  them  take  heed  lest  they  hear,  inasmuch  as  you  did 
it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  you  did  it  not  to  me. 

HI.  That  dcctrine  ichich  tKachcth  men  to  destroy 
or  undo  them  whom  Christ  hath  bound  them  to  love 
as  Christians,  and  absolveth  subjects  from  their  alle- 
giance to  their  princes,  and  requireth  the  deposing  of 
them,  and  committing  the  government  of  their  domin- 
ions to  others,  because  they  arc  judged  to  be  heretics  by 
the  Pope ;  or  if  they  will  7iot  destroy  and  extripatc 
such  as  he  calleth  Heretics;  that  doctrine  is  not  God. 
But  such  is  the  doctrine  of  Popery. 

A  paper  entitled  An  explanation  of  the  Roman 
Catholic' s  belief  and  others  like  it  seem  to  renounce 
the  opinion  of  breaking  faith  with  heretics,  and  of 
promise  breaking  with  magistrates.  It  seems  they 
think  they  owe  no  more  obedience  to  their  magistrates 
than  they  promise.  But  I  refer  the  reader  to  what  King- 
James  and  his  defenders  have  said  on  this  point,  and 
now  give  you  the  words  of  fheir  own  approved  general 
council  the  fourth  at  the  Lateran  under  Innocent  III., 


JUGGLING.  67 

as  Binius  and  others  record  it.  In  the  first  chapter 
they  set  down  their  Catholic  Faith,  two  articles  of 
which  arc;  That  no  man  can  bo  saved  out  of  their 
universal  clinrch;  That  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  sa- 
crament of  the  altar  are  transubstantiated  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  the  appearances  remaining.  In 
the  third  chapter  they  say,  "We  excommunicate  and 
anathematize  every  heresy  extollino-  itself  against  this 
holy  orthodox  Catholic  faith,  which  we  have  before 
cxponed,  condcmnins^^  all  heretics  by  what  names  soev- 
er they  may  be  called — And  being  condemned,  let 
them  be  left  to  the  present  secular  powers,  or  their 
bailifts  to  be  punished,  the  clergy  being  first  degraded 
of  their  orders;  and  let  the  goods  of  such  condemned 
ones  be  confiscate,  if  they  be  laymen,  but  if  they  be 
clergymen  let  them  be  given  to  the  churches  whence 
they  had  their  stipends.  And  those  that  are  found  no- 
table only  by  suspicion,  if  they  do  not  by  congruous  pur- 
gation demonstrate  their  innocency,  according  to  the 
considerations  of  the  suspicion  and  the  quality  of  the 
person,  let  them  be  smitten  with  this  word  o^  Anathema, 
and  avoided  by  all  men,  till  they  have  given  sufficient 
satisfaction  ;  and  if  they  remain  a  year  excommunicate, 
let  them  then  be  condemned  as  heretics.  And  let  the  se- 
cular powers,  in  what  office  soever,  be  admonished  and 
persuaded,  and  if  it  be  necessary,  commpelled  by  ec- 
clesiastical censure,  that  as  they  would  be  reputed  and 
accounted  believers,  so  for  the  defence  of  the  faith,  they 
lake  an  oath  publicly,  that  they  will  study  in  good  ear- 
nest according  to  their  power,  to  exterminate  all  that 
are  by  the  church  denoted  heretics,  from  the  countries 
subject  to  their  jurisdiction.  So  that  when  any  one 
shall  be  taken  into  Spiritural  or  temporal  power,  ho 
shall  by  his  oath  make  good  this  chapter.  But  if  the 
temporal  lord,  being  required  and  admonished  of  the 
church,  shall  neglect  to  purge  his  country  of  heretical 
defilement,  let  him  by  the  metropolitan  and  other  com- 
provincial bishops  be  tied  by  the  bond  of  excommuni- 
cation. And  if  he  refuse  to  satisfy  within  a  year,  let  it 
be  signified  to  the  Pope,  that  he  may  from  thenceforth  de- 
nounce his  vassals  absolved  from  their  fidelity,  and 
may  expose  his  country  to  be  seized  by  Catholics,  who 


58  JESUIT 

rooting  out  the  heretics,  may  possess  it  without  con- 
tradiction, and  may  iveep  it  in  the  purity  of  faith  ;  saving 
the  right  of  the  principal  lord,  so  be  it  that  he  him- 
self do  make  no  hindrance  hereabout,  and  oppose  any 
impediment:  and  the  same  law  is  to  be  observed  with 
them  that  are  not  principal  lords.  And  the  Catholics 
that  taking  the  sign  of  the  Cross  shall  set  themselves 
to  the  rooting  out  the  heretics,  shall  enjoy  the  same 
indulgences  and  holy  privileges  which  were  granted 
to  those  that  go  to  the  relief  of  the  holy  land.  More- 
over we  decree,  that  the  believers,  receivers  and  de- 
fenders, and  favorers  of  heretics,  shall  be  excommuni- 
cate: firmly  decreeing,  that  after  any  such  is  noted  by 
excommunication,  if  he  refuse  to  satisfy  within  a  year: 
he  shall  from  thenceforth  be  ipso  jure  infamous,  and 
may  not  be  admitted  to  public  offices  or  councils,  or 
to  the  choice  of  such,  nor  to  bear  witness.  And  he 
shall  be  intestate  and  not  have  power  to  make  a  will, 
nor  may  come  to  a  succession  of  inheritance.  And  no 
man  shall  be  forced  to  answer  him  in  any  cause ;  but 
he  shall  be  forced  to  answer  others.  And  if  he  be 
a  judge,  his  sentence  shall  be  invalid,  and  no  causes 
shall  be  brought  lo  his  hearing.  If  he  be  an  advocate, 
his  plea  shall  not  be  admitted.  If  a  notary  or  regis- 
ter, the  instruments  made  by  him  shall  be  utterly  void, 
and  damned  with  the  damned  author.  And  so  in 
other  the  like  cases,  we  command  that  it  be  observed." 
Thus  they  go  on  further  commanding  bishops  by 
themselves,  or  their  arch-deacons,  or  other  fit  persons, 
once  or  twice  a  year  to  search  every  parish  where 
any  heretic  is  found  to  dwell,  and  put  all  the  neighbor- 
hood to  their  oaths,  whether  they  know  of  any  here- 
tics there,  or  any  private  meetings,  or  any  that  in  life 
and  manners  do  difler  from  the  common  conversation 
of  the  faithful,  &c.  And  the  bishops  that  neglect  those 
things  are  to  be  cast  out,  and  others  put  in  their  places 
that  will  do  them. 

Pope  Gregory  7.  I.  4.  Episi.  7.,  expressly  stirs  up 
the  people  to  cast  of  their  princes,  saying  ;  '"For  the 
conspiracy  of  heretics  and  the  king,  we  believe  it  is 
not  unknown  to  you  that  are  near  them,  how  it  may 
be  impugned  by  the  Catholic  bishops  and  dukes,  and 


JUGGLING.  59 

many  others  in  the  German  parts :  for  the  failliful  of 
the  Church  of  Rome  are  come  to  such  a  numher,  tliat 
unless  the  king  shall  come  to  satisfaction,  they  may 
openly  profess  to  choose  another  king,  and  observing 
justice  we  have  promised  to  favor  them,  and  will  keep 
our  promise  firm,  &c." 

The  sum  of  all  is,  that  all  that  the  Pope  calls 
heretics,  must  he  condemned  and  destroyed,  and  all 
kings,  princes  or  lords,  that  will  not  execute  his 
sentence  and  root  them  out,  must  be  dispossessed  of 
their  dominions,  and  the  subjects  absolved  from  their 
fidelity,  whatever  oaths  they  had  taken,  and  all  others 
that  do  but  favor  or  receive  them  be  utterly  undone. 

I  fetch  these  things  out  of  the  very  words  of  a  general 
council  confirmed  by  the  I^ope,  and  unquestionably  ap- 
proved by  them.  Many  ages  saw  this  doctrine  put  in 
execution,  when  the  emperors  of  Germany  were  de- 
posed by  the  Pope,  and  the  subjects  absolved  from 
their  allegiance. 

Perhaps  some  will  say,  that  this  decree  was  not  de 
fide,  but  a  temporary  precept.  When  a  precept  requi- 
reth  duty,  it  may  be  a  point  of  faith  to  believe  it.  Pre- 
cepts are  the  objects  of  faith,  at  least  as  they  are  assertions 
that  the  thing  commanded  is  our  duty.  It  is  an  article 
of  faith,  that  God  is  to  be  loved  and  obeyed,  and 
our  superiors  to  be  honored,  and  our  neighbor  to  be 
loved,  and  charity  to  be  exercised,  &c.  The  creation, 
the  incarnation  of'Christ,  his  death,  resurrection,  ascen- 
sion, glorification,  intercession,  his  future  judgment, 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  &c.,  are  all  matters  of  fact, 
and  yet  matters  of  faith  too.  If  practicals  be  not  ar- 
ticles of  faith,  then  we  have  no  articles  of  faith  at 
all:  for  all  our  theology  and  religion  is  practical.  Do 
Papists  murder  po^r  Christians  by  thousands,  and 
yet  noi  fide  diviaa  believe  that  it  is  their  duty  so  to  do  ? 
Either  it  is  a  duty,  or  a  sin,  or  indiflerent.  If  a  sin, 
woe  to  their  Popes  and  councils;  and  if  this  be  no  sin 
with  them,  I  know  not  why  the  world  should  be 
troubled  by  them  with  the  name  of  sin.  If  it  be  in- 
different,  what  then  shall  be  called  sin  ?  If  they  can 
swallow  such  camels  as  the  blood  of  many  thousand 
Christians,  what  need  they  strain  at  gnats,  and  stick 


60  JESUlT' 

at  private  murders,  or  fornication,  or  lying",  or  slan- 
dering, any  more  than  the  Jesuit  casuists  do?  But 
if  those  murders  and  deposing  kings  be  indeed  a  duty, 
bow  can  they  know  it  to  be  so,  but  by  believing  ?  In- 
deed if  a  general  council  and  the  Pope  are  to  be  believ- 
ed, who  give  it  us  with  a  Decernimus  et  fir  miter  stat- 
uimus,  then  it  is  doubtless  a  point  of  faith:  and  if  they 
are  not  to  be  believed,  then  Popery  is  but  a  mere  de- 
ceit. 

But  may  we  not  be  Roman  Catholics  though  we 
join  not  with  them  in  this  point?  Have  not  many 
such  renounced  it  ?  and  so  may  we.  If  you  renounce 
the  decrees  of  a  Pope  and  general  council,  you  re- 
nounce your  religion  in  the  very  foundation  of  it. 
and  cannot  be  J^apists ;  but  are  in  the  Roman  ac- 
count as  errant  heretics  as  those  that  they  have  tor- 
tured and  burn  to  ashes :  though  here,  where  they 
cannot  handle  you  as  they  would  do,  they  dare  not  tell 
you  so.  If  you  may  renounce  the  decrees  of  a  Pope 
and  general  council,  when  they  say;  it  is  a  duty,  or 
lawful  to  exterminate  all  heretics,  that  believe  not  tran- 
substantiation,  and  to  seize  upon  the  lands  of  princes 
that  will  not  do  it,  and  to  deliver  them  to  others  that 
will,  and  absolve  their  vassals  from  their  fidelity;  if 
you  may  renounce  them  in  this,  why  may  not  we  re- 
nounce them  in  other  things  as  groundless? 

IV.  The  true  catholic  church  is  holy:  the  Church 
of  Rome  hath  for  many  generations  been  unholy  : 
therefore  the  Church  of  Rome  icas  not  in  any  oj 
those  generations  the  true  catholic  church. 

The  major  proposition  is  an  article  of  the  creed  pro- 
fessed by  themselves,  as  much  as  by  us;  I  believe  the 
holy  catholic  church. 

The  unholiness  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  I  prove 
undeniably,  thus:  if  an  essential  part  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  even  its  head,  hath  been  unholy  through  many 
generations,  then  the  Church  of  Rome  hath  been  un- 
holy, for  many  generations  :  but  an  essential  part,  even 
the  head,  hath  been  unholy. 

Though  it  will  not  follow  that  the  Church  is  holy, 
because  one  essential  part  is  holy,  yet  it  clearly  follovv- 
eth  that  the  Church  is  unholy,  because  an  essential 


JUGGLINO.  61 

part  is  unholy.  As  it  followeth  not  that  the  body  is 
Sound,  because  the  head  is  sound  ;  yet  it  followeth,  that 
the  man,  or  the  body  is  unsound  or  sick,  because  the 
head  is  unsound  or  sick.  As  it  is  not  a  church  with- 
out al!  its  essential  parts,  so  it  is  not  a  holy  church 
without  the  holiness  of  all  its  essential  parts. 

They  make  the  Pope  the  head  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  an  essential  part ;  which  is  the  principal 
controversy  between  them  and  the  true   catholics. 

Abundance  of  their  Popes  have  been  unholy,  and 
they  dare  not  deny  it.  Their  own  historians  describe 
their  impieties,  ami  their  own  writers,  even  those  that 
are  bitterest  against  us,  do  freely  confess  it:  and  gen- 
eral councils  have  judged  them  and  cast  them  out 
The  number  of  those  monsters  is  so  great,  that  it 
would  make  a  volume  but  to  name  them,  and  recite 
their  crimes. 

Pope  John  XXIII.  was  accused  and  deposed  by 
the  general  council  at  'Constance,  upon  seventy  articles, 
The  first  article  was,  that  he  was  from  his  youth,  a  man 
of  a  bad  disposition,  immodest,  impudent,  a  liar,  a  rebel, 
and  disobedient  to  his  parents,  and  given  to  most  vices; 
and  then  was,  and  yet  is,  commonly  taken  for  such  a  one 
by  all  that  knew  him.  The  second  article  was,  how  by 
fiimoniacal  and  unjust  means  he  grew  rich.  The  third 
Article,  that  by  simony  he  was  promoted  to  be  a  car- 
dinal. The  fourth  article,  that  being  legate  at  Bonnonia 
he  governed  tyranically,  impiously,  unjustly,  being 
wholly  alien  from  all  Christian  justice,  divine  and  hu- 
man, &c.  The  fifth  article,  that  thus  he  got  to  b« 
Pope,  and  yet  coniinued  as  bad,  and  as  a  Pagan  des- 
pised the  worship  of  God  ;  if  he  performed  any,  it  was 
more  lest  he  should  be  totally  blamed  of  heresy  and 
cast  out  of  the  Papacy,  than  for  any  devotion.  The 
sixth  article  was,  that  he  was  the  oppressor  of  the  poor, 
the  persecutor  of  righteousness,  the  pillar  of  the  unjust 
and  the  simoniacal,  a  server  of  the  flesh,  the  dregs  of 
vices,  a  stranger  to  virtue,  flying  from  public  consisto- 
ries, wholly  given  to  sleep  and  carnal  desires,  altogether 
contrary  to  the  life  and  manners  of  Christ,  the  mirror 
of  infamy,  and  the  profound  inventor  of  all  mischiefs : 
so  far  scandalizing  the  Church  of  Christ,  that  among: 

6 


62  JESUIT 

Christian  believers  that  knew  his  life  and  manners'^ 
he  was  commonly  called  the  devil  incarnate.  The  sev- 
enth article  was,  that  being  a  vessel  of  all  sins,  repel- 
ling the  worthy,  he  simoniacally  sold  benefices,  bish- 
oprics and  church-dignities  openly,  to  the  unworthy 
that  would  give  most  for  them. 

Threescore  more  of  those  articles  were  all  proved  to 
be  notorious,  by  cardinals,  arch-bishops,  prelates,  and 
many  more.  I  add  a  few  of  the  last.  That  he  came 
to  be  Pope  by  causing  Pope  Alexander  and  his  phy- 
sician Daniel  de  Sophia  to  be  poisoned.  That  he  com- 
mitted incest  with  his  brother's  wife,  and  with  iiuns, 
and  whoredom  with  virgins,  adultery  with  men's  wives, 
and  other  crimes  of  incontinency,  for  which  the  wrath 
of  God  cometh  on  the  children  of  disobedience.  That 
he  was  notoriously  guilty  of  murder,  and  other  grievous 
crimes,  a  dissipator  of  the  Church  goods,  a  notorious 
simonist,  and  a  pertinacious  heretic.  That  often,  he  ob- 
stinately asserted,  dogmatized,  and  maintained,  that 
thereisno  life  everlasting,  nor  any  other  after  this;  more- 
over,he  said  and  obstinately  believed  that  the  soul  of  man 
doth  die  and  is  extinct  with  the  body  like  the  brute 
beasts,  and  that  the  dead  shall  not  rise  again  at  the 
last  day,  contrary  to  the  article  of  the  resurrection. 
Thereupon  the  council  deposed  him. 

Now  judge,  whether  the  Roman  Church  had  a  holy 
head,  when  it  had  a  heathen  and  a  devil  incarnate? 

The  general  council  at  Basil  deposed  Pope  Eugeiiius 
IV.  as  being  a  rebel  against  the  holy  canons,  a  notori- 
ous disturber  and  scandalizer  of  the  peace  and  unity  of 
the  Church,  a  simonist  and  a  perjured  wretch,  incor- 
rigible, a  schismatic,  and  an  obstinate  heretic. 

Pope  John  XIII.  alias  XII.  was  in  council  convicted 
of  ravishing  maids,  wives,  and  widows  at  the  Apostolic 
doors:  and  committing  many  murders.  He  drunk  a 
health  to  the  devil,  and  at  dice  called  to  Jupiter  and 
Venus  for  help,  and  at  last  was  slain  in  the  act  of  adul- 
tery. Platina  saith,  he  was  from  his  youth  a  man  con- 
taminated with  all  dishonesty  and  filthiness,  and  if  he 
had  any  time  to  spare  from  his  lusts,  he  spent  it  in 
hunting,  and  not  in  praying;  a  most  wicked  man  or 
rather  a  monster.     The  life  of  that  most  wicked  man 


JITGOLING.  6S 

being"  judged  in  a  council  oi  Itaiian  bishops;  for  fear 
of  them  he  iled  and  lived  like  a  wild  beast  in  the  woods. 
At  last  he  got  the  better  ai^ain  by  the  help  of  his  friends 
at  Rome,  till  an  angry  man  found  him  with  his  wife, 
and  sent  him  to  answer  it  in  another  world.  Their 
own  writers  note  that  this  was  the  first  Pope  that 
changed  his  name,  whom  his  followers  imitated.  Do 
you  think'  the  head  of  the  Roman  Church  was  then 
holy? 

Many  others  of  them  have  been  most  wicked  wretches, 
common  adulterers,  fornicators,  and  sodomites,  who 
poisoned  their  predecessors  to  get  the  Popedom.  Bar- 
onius  their  flntlering  champion  saith,  Annal.  ad  an. 
912.  "What  then  was  the  face  of  the  holy  Roman 
Church  i*  How  exceedingly  filthy,  when  the  most 
potent,  and  yet  the  most  sordid  whores  did  rule  at  Rome/ 
by  whose  pleasure  sees  were  changed,  prelates  were 
given,  and  which  is  a  thing-  horrid  to  be  heard,  and  not 
to  be  spoken,  their  lovers  or  mates,  were  thrust  into 
Peter's  chair,  being  false  Popes,  who  are  not  to  be  writ- 
ten in  the  catalogue  of  the  Roman  Popes,  but  only  for 
the  marking  out  of  such  times.  And  what  kind  of 
cardinals,  priests,  and  deacons  think  you  we  must  im- 
agine that  those  monsters  did  choose,  when  nothing  is 
so  rooted  in  nature  as  for  everyone  to  beget  his  like.'"' 

Genebrard,  that  spleenish  Papist,  Lib.  iv.  Sec.  x. 
saith,  "in  this  one  thing  that  age  was  unhappy,  that  for 
near  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  about  fifty  Popes  did 
wholly  fall  away  from  the  virtue  of  their  ancestors, 
being  rather  irregular  and  apostatical,  than  apostolical." 
So  that  the  Church  of  Rome  had  not  then  either  a  holy 
or  apostolical  head. 

Pope  Adrian  Vf.  writeth,  De  Sacram.  Confir.  Art. 
4,  that  there  have  many  Popes  of  Rome  been  here- 
tics. Two  or  three  several  general  councils  condemned 
Pope  Honoriiis  for  a  heretic. 

If  I  should  tell  you  what  their  own  writers  say  of 
the  wickedness  of  the  Roman  clergy,  in  many  ages  ; 
and  of  the  wickedness  of  the  Roman  people;  of 
the  large  sums  of  money  that  the  Pope  hath  yearly 
for  the  licensed  or  tolerated  brothels  in  Rome,  you 
would  think  that  the  body  of  the  particular    Roman 


64  jEsriT 

church  was  near   kin  to  the  head,  and   therefore  not 
the  holy  mistress  of  all  churches. 

But  perhaps  some  will  say,  that  the  Pope  was  holy  be- 
cause his  office  was  holy,  though  his  person  was  vicious. 
If  this  be  the  holiness  of  the  Catholic  church  mention- 
ed in  the  creed,  then  the  institution  of  offices  is  it  that 
makes  it  holy,  and  while  the  office  continueth,  the 
holiness  cannot  be  lost.  Then  let  them  prove  their 
holiness  by  saints  no  more.  Let  them  not  then  delude 
the  people,  but  speak  out,  and  tell  them  that  they  mean 
such  holiness  as  is  consistent  with  heathenism,  or  infi- 
delity murders,  sodomy,  and  may  be  in  an  incarnate 
devil !      Is  that  the  holiness  of  the  Catholic  church? 

By  this  means  you  leave  no  room  for  the  Church  of 
Rome,  or  any  Papifc^t  in  the  Catholic  church  which  is 
truly  holy. 

Not  as  Papists:  they  can  be  no  members  of  it.  But 
if  with  any  of  thern  Christianity  be  predominant,  and 
prevail  against  the  infection  of  J-'opery,  so  that  it  prac- 
tically extinguish  not  Christianity,  then  as  Christians 
they  may  be  members  of  the  church,  and  be  saved  too 
but  not  as  Papists. 

V.  The  true  catholic  church  of  Christ  is  but  one  : 
the  pretended  Roman  Catholic  church  is  more  than 
one  :  therefore  the  freiended  Roman  Catholic  church 
is  not  the  true  catholic  church  of  Christ. 

1.  Where  there  are  two  heads  or  sovereign  powers, 
specially  distinct,  there  are  two  societies,  or  churches. 
But  those  called  Papists,  or  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  have  two  heads  or  sovereign  powers  specially 
distinct.     Therefore  they  are  two  churches. 

There  are  many  volumes  written  by  both  sides  for 
their  several  forms.  Bellarmin,  Gretser,  and  the 
rest  of  the  Italian  fncticn  assert  that  the  Pope  \i 
the  chief  power,  and  above  a  general  council,  and 
the  seat  of  infalMbilit}-,  and  not  to  be  judged  by  any, 
being  himself  the  judge  of  the  whole  world.  The  oth- 
er party  aver  that  a  general  council  is  above  th« 
Pope,  and  that  he  is  to  be  judged  by  them,  and  may  b© 
deposed  by  them.  If  any  say,  that  they  are  but  few 
and  not  true  Papists  of  this  opinion,  I  answer,  then  a 
general  council  are  but  few,   and  not  true  Catholic*, 


JUGGLING.  65 

which  yet  is  said  by  them  to  represent  the  whole 
Catholic  church:  for  the  g"cneral  council  of  Constance 
and  of  Basil  have  preinptorily  asserted  it,  and  repeat 
it  over  and  over.  Tlie  council  of  Basil  say,  Ses 
ultim.  that  "not  one  of  the  skilful  did  ever  doubt  but 
that  the  Pope  was  subject  to  the  judgment  of  a  gen- 
eral council,  in  things  that  concern  faith.  And  that 
he  cannot  without  their  consent  dissolve  or  remove 
a  general  council;  and  that  this  is  an  article  of 
faith,  which  without  destruction  of  salvation  cannot 
be  denied,  and  that  the  council  is  above  the  Pope,  de 
ride,  and  it  cannot  be  removed  without  their  consent, 
and  that  he  is  a  heretic  that  is  against  these  things." 
Bbiius  p.  43.  79,  96.  Pope  Eugenius  owned  that  coun- 
cil, p.  A2.  For  the  council  of  Constance,  Martin  V, 
was  chosen  by  it,  and  present  in  it,  and  personally  con- 
firmed what  they  did  as  a  council,  and  not'what  pri- 
vate members  did.  You  see  that  even  general  coun- 
cils representing  the  Papal  church  do  not  only  say 
that  a  council  is  above  the  Pope,  but  make  it  an  article 
of  faith,  and  damn  those  that  deny  it.  What  then  is 
become  of  Bellannin  and  the  rest  of  their  champions.^ 

But  perhaps  you  will  say,  they  are  but  few  on  the 
other  side.  Not  only  most  Popes,  and  the  Italian 
clergy,  and  the  predominant  party  of  Papists,  but  an- 
other general  council,  the  Lateran,  under  Julius  II. 
and  Leo  X.  expressly  determine  that  the  Pope  is  above 
a  general  council.  So  that  here  is  not  only  an  unde- 
niable proof  that  general  councils  are  fallible  by  their 
contradicting  each  other,  and  that  there  is  a  necessity 
of  rejecting  some  of  them,  and  consequently  that  the 
foundation  of  Popery  is  rotten  :  but  also  here  is  one 
representative  catholic  church  against  another  repre- 
sentative catholic  church,  and  one  council  for  one  spe- 
cies of  sovereignty,  and  another  for  another  species  of 
sovereignty.  So  that  undoubtedly  it  is  not  the  same 
church. 

The  nations  that  are  on  both  sides  to  this  day,  are 
a  proof  beyond  denial  of  their  division.  The  French 
on  one  side,  and  the  Itilians  on  the  other;  and  other 
nations  divided  between  both.     So  thai  the  thing  which 


66  jEBvit 

they  call  by  one  name,  is  two  indeed.  But  So  it  not 
the  true  catholic  church. 

2.  Where  there  are  two,  three  or  four  heads  or  sov' 
eieigns  at  once  numerically  distinct,  there  are  two 
three  or  four  churches.  But  the  Roman  Church  pre- 
tending to  be  catholic,  hath  had  two  or  three  or  four 
heads  at  once  numerically  distinct;  therefore  it  wa« 
two  or  three  or  four  churches. 

It  is  not  only  two  species  of  sovereignty,  but  two  in^ 
dividual  sovereigns  that  are  inconsistent  with  the  nu' 
merical  unity  of  a  political  body.  Two,  or  ten,  or  two 
hundred  may  join  in  one  sovereignty,  as  one  political 
person,  but  if  there  be  two  sovereigns,  there  are  cer- 
tainly two  societies:  for  if  both  be  suprt  me,  neither  is 
subordinat  \  The  I'apists  lay  their  very  foundation  on 
a  supposed  division.  Peter  and  Paul  were  both  at  once 
their  Bishops.  There  are  not  many  of  them  who  ven- 
ture to  tell  us,  that  Peter  only  was  the  supreme,  and 
that  Paul  was  under  him  :  but  they  make  them  as 
equals,  or  co-ordinate  ;  and  some  of  them  say,  that  Paul 
was  the  bishop  of  the  uncircumcision,  and  Peter  of  the 
circumcision,  and  then  Pettr''s  church  is  confined  to 
the  Jews.  And  they  do  not  tell  us,  that  one  headship 
was  divided  between  them:  for  then  that  example 
would  direct  them  still  to  have  two  Popes,  or  two  bish- 
ops to  a  Church:  so  that  Peter  being  a  head,  and 
Paul  a  head,  they  had  distinct  bodies. 

They  cannot  deny  their  many  following  divisions. 
The  twenty  third  schism,  as  Werner  a  zealous  Papist, 
in  flisciculo  tempor.  reckons  them  was  between  Felix  V^ 
and  Eugenius:  of  which  Werner  saith,  that  "hence  arose 
great  contention  among  the  writers  of  this  matter,  ^ro 
and  contra,  and  they  cannot  agree  to  this  day  :  for  one 
part  saith,  that  the  council  is  above  the  Pope,  the  other 
part  on  the  contrary  saith,  no,  but  the  J^ope  is  above 
the  council.     God  grant  his  church  peace,  &c." 

Of  the  twenty-second  schism,  Werner  saith  thus,  ad 
an.  1373,  "The  twenty-second  was  the  worst  and  most 
*ubtle  of  all.  For  it  was  so  perplexed,  that  the  most 
learned  and  conscientious  men  were  not  able  to  find 
out  to  whom  they  should  adhere.  And  it  was  contin- 
ued   for   forty  years  to  the  great  scandal  of  the  whole 


JuaoLiNo.  67 

(tlcTgy,  and  the  great  loss  of  souls,  because  of  heresies 
ftnd  other  evils  that  then  sprung  up,  and  because  there  was 
no  discipline  in  the  church  against  them.  And  there- 
fore from  Urban  VI.  to  Martin  V.  I  know  not  who  was 
Pope." 

After  Nicholas  IV.  there  was  no  Pope  for  two  years 
nnd  a  half;  and  CeUsline  V.  that  succeeded  him  re- 
signing it,  Boniface  VIII.  entered,  that  styled  himself 
lord  of  the  whole  world  in  spirituals  and  temporals,  of 
whom  it  was  said,  he  entered  as  a  fox,  lived  as  a  lion, 
and  died  like  a  dog. 

The  twentieth  schism  was  great  between  Alexander 
III.  and  four  schismatics,  and  lasted  seventeen   years. 

The  nineteenth  scliism,  was  between  Innocent  II.  and 
Peter  Leonis.  Innocent  got  the  better  because  he 
had  more  on  his  side. 

The  thirteenth  schism  was  between  another  and 
Benedict  VIII. 

The  fourteenth  schism  was  scandalous  and  full  of 
confusion  between  Benedict  IX.  and  five  others,  which 
Benedict  was  wholly  vicious;  and  therefore  being  damn- 
ed, appeared  in  a  monstrous  and  horrid  shape  ;  his  head 
and  tail  were  like  an  ass,  and  the  rest  of  his  body  like 
a  bear,  saying,  I  thus  appear,  because  I  lived  like  a 
beast.  In  that  schism  there  was  no  less  than  six  Popes 
at  once.  1.  Benedict  was  expelled.  2.  Silvester  III. 
got  in,  but  was  cast  out  again,  and  Benedict  restored. 
3.  But  being  again  cast  out,  Gregory  VI.  was  put  into  hii 
place;  who  because  he  was  ignorant  of  letters,  and  yet 
infallible  no  doubt,  caused  another  Pope  to  be  consecrated 
with  him  to  perform  Church  offtces ;  which  was  the 
fourth;  which  displeased  many,  and  therefore  a  third 
was  chosen,  wliich  was  the  fifth  instead  of  the  two 
that  were  fighting  with  one  another;  but  Henry  tho 
emperor  coming  in,  deposed  them  all,  and  chose  Clem- 
ent II.  who  was  the  si.xth  of  all  them  that  were  aliva 
at  once. 

But  above  all  schisms,  that  between  Formosus  and 
Sergius,  and  their  followers,  was  the  foulest;  such  say- 
ing and  unsaying,  doing  and  undoing  there  was,  be- 
sides the  dismembering  of  the  dead  Pope,  and  casting 
him  into  the  water.  And  of  eight  successors,  saith 
Werner,   I  can  say  nothing  observable   of  them ;  be- 


6B  jESUlt 

cause  I  find  nothing  of  them  but  scandal,  because  of 
the  unheard  of  contention,  in  the  holy  apostolic  see  one 
against  another,  and  together  mutually  against  each 
other. 

One  Pope  in  those  contentious  times,  I  find  lived  in 
some  peace,  and  that  was  Silvester  II.  of  whom  saith 
Werner,  Silvester  was  made  Pope  by  the  help  of 
the  devil,  to  whom  he  did  homage:  that  all  might  go 
as  he  would  have  it : — but  he  quickly  met  with  the 
usual  end,  as  one  that  had  placed  his  hope  in  deceitful 
devils. 

I  now  appeal  to  reason  itself,  whether  this  were  one 
church,  that  for  fifty  years  together  had  several  heads, 
some  of  the  people  following  one,  and  some  another, 
and  the  most  learned  and  the  most  conscientious  not 
able  to  know  the  right  Pope,  nor  know  him  not  to  this 
day.     But  the  true  catholic  church  of  Christ  is  but  one. 

VI.  The  true  catholic  church  hath  never  ceased  or 
discontinued,  si?ice  the  founding  of  it  to  this  day.  The 
Church  of  Rome  hath  ceased  or  discojitinued  :  therefore 
the  Church  of  Rome  is  not  the  true  catholic  church. 

If  the  head  which  is  an  essential  part  hath  discontin- 
ued, then  the  Church  of  Rome  hath  discontinued.  But 
the  head  hath  discontinued. 

1.  There  have  been  many  years  interregnum  or  va- 
cancy, when  there  was  no  Pope  at  all.  And  where 
then    was  the  church  when  it  had  no  head  ? 

2.  There  have  been  long  successions  of  such  as 
were  not  apostolical,  but  apostatical. 

3.  Your  own  Popes  and  councils  command  us  to 
take  such  for  no  Popes.  Pope  Nicholas  in  his  decretals, 
Caranza  p,  393.  saitii ;  He  that  by  money  or  the  favor 
of  men,  or  popular  or  military  tumults  is  intruded  in- 
to the  apostolical  seat  without  the  concordant  and  can- 
onical election  of  the.  cardinals  and  the  following  re- 
ligious clergy,  let  him  not  be  taken  for  a  Pope,  nor 
apostolical,  but  for  apostatical.  And  even  the  priests, 
he  commandeth  ;  Let  no  7nan  hear  inass  of  a  priest 
whom  he  certainly  knoweth  to  have  a  concubine  or  wO' 
man  introduced,  Caranza,  p.  395.  and  priests  that 
commit  fornication,  cannot  have  the  honor  of  priest- 
hood. 


JUGGLING.  69 

But  our  greater  argument  is  from  the  authority  of 
God,  and  the  very  nature  of  the  office.  A?i  infidel,  or 
notorious  uiiiiodly  man,  is  not  capable  of  being  the 
pastor  of  a  Church,  while  he  is  such.  Bui  the  Popes 
ef  Rome  have  been  infidels,  and  notoriouslij  ungodly 
men  :  therefore  they  were  incapable  of  being  pastors  of 
the  Church,  and  consequently  that  Church  was  head- 
less, and  so  no  church.  Where  there  is  not  the  neces- 
sary matter  and  disposition  of  the  matter,  there  can  be 
no  reception  of  ihe  form.  But  infidels  and  notoriously 
ungodly  men,  are  not  matter  sufficiently  disposed  to 
receive  the  form  of  pastoral  power:  therefore  they  can- 
not receive  it.  As  every  true  church  is  a  Christian 
Church,  it  being  only  a  congregation  of  Christians 
that  we  so  call,  so  every  pastor  is  a  Christian  pastor: 
but  an  infidel  or  not:)riously  ungodly  man  is  not  a 
Christian  pastor:  therefore  not  a  true  pastor.  Other- 
wise a  Mohamedan,  .Tew,  or  Heathen  may  be  a  true  Pope. 
If  any  disposition  or  qualification  at  all  be  necessary 
to  the  being  of  the  pastoral  office,  then  is  it  necessary, 
that  he  own  God  the  Father,  and  the  Redeemer,  that 
IS,  be  not  notoriously  an  infidtd,  or  ungodly. 

Popes  have  been  such  as  1  mention.  Marcellinus  sac- 
rificed to  an  idol  ;  Liberius  subscribed  to  the  Arian 
profession.  I  believe  there  is  a  hundred  times  more 
hone  of  their  salvation  by  repentance,  than  of  a  hun- 
dred of  their  successors,  John  XXII.  held  that  the 
soul  dies  with  the  body,  of  which  the  Parisians  and 
others  condemned  him.  John  XXIII.  denied  the  life 
to  come,  and  so  was  an  infidel.  The  witchcraft,  pois- 
onings, simony,  sodomy,  adulteries,  incest,  &c.  of  oth- 
ers, are  recorded  by  their  own  historians. 

VII.  If  a  man  may  be  sure,  that  he  knows  bread  to  be 
bread,  and  wine  to  he  wine,  lohtn  he  seeth,  feelelh  and 
f.astcth  them.,  then  he  may  be  sure  that  Popery  is  a  deceit. 
But  a  man  may  be  sure  that  he  knoweth  bread  to  be 
bread,  and  loine  to  be  icine,  when  he  seeth,  feeleth,  and 
iasteth  them. 

I  speak  of  such  a  knowledge  as  belongs  to  men  of 
sound  sense,  and  a  convenient  object  and  medium.  It 
is  the  senses  of  the  wliole  world  that  I  appeal  to  ;  it 
is  bread  and  wine  that   are  near  us,   in   the  hand  or 


70  JESUIT 

mouth  that  I  speak  of,  and  not  at  a  mile's  distance  :  in 
the  day  lig"ht,  and  not  in  the  dark.     So  that  take  the 
bread  and  wine  into  your  hand  and  judge  it,  and  let 
that  decide  our  controversy.     If  you  can  tell  whether 
that  be  bread  or  no   bread,    you   may  tell  whether  the 
Papists  or  we  are  in  the  right.     Those  therefore  that 
be  not  learned    enough  to  judge  by  disputations  and 
writings  of  learned  men,  may  yet  judge  by  their  sight 
and  feeling.      Either  you  know  bread  and  wine  when 
you  see  it,  taste  it,  feel  it,  or  you  do  not.     If  you  do, 
then  the  controversy  is  at  an  end  ;  for  the  senses  of 
all  sound  men  in  the  world,  will  be  against  the  Pa- 
pists, that  say  the  bread  after  consecration  is  no  bread, 
and  the  wine  is  no   wine.     But  if  you   cannot  know 
bread  when  you   see,  feel,  and  eat  it;    1.  Then  we  are 
sure  that  the  Pope  and  all  his  council  is  not  at  all  to  be 
trusted  :  for  if  sense  be  not  to  be  trusted,  then  the  Pope 
and  his   council   know  not   when  they  read  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  canons,  and  fathers,  and  hear  traditions,  but 
that  they  are  deceived.     2.   Then  we  are  uncertain  of 
any  judgment  that  Pope  or  council  can  give:  for  when 
they  spoke  or  wrote  it,    we  are  uncertain  whether  our 
eyes  and  ears,  or  reason  judging  by  them,  are  not  de- 
ceived  in  the  hearing  or   reading  of  their  words.     3. 
How  ridiculously  then  do  they  call  for  a  judge  of  con- 
troversies ?  and   what  a  foolish  quarrel  is  it  that  they 
make,  who  shall  be  the   interpreter   of  Scriptures,  or 
judge  of  controversies?       For   what  can  a  judge  do 
but  speak  or  write  his  mind  .''  and  when  he  hath  done, 
you  know  not  what  it  is  you  hear  or  read,  because  your 
senses  may  deceive  you.      It  is   a  far   harder  matter  to 
understand  a  sentence  or  book  of  the   Pope  or  council 
when  you  read   or   hear   it,   than   to  know  bread  when 
you   see,   and  feel   it.     Many  thousands   know   bread, 
that  know  not    the    Pope's  sentence,   nor  a  word  of  a 
book.     4.   By  this  rule,  it  is  uncertain  whether   Scrip- 
ture be  true,  or  Christianity  the  true  religion.     For  we 
cannot  know  it   but  by  our  senses:   and  if  they  are  so 
uncertain,   all  our   religion   must   needs  be  uncertain, 
5.   We  cannot  tell  what  revelation  to  desire  that  should 
end   our  controversies  and    make   us   certain.     For  if 
God  shall  send  an    angel  or  other   messenger    from 


JUGOLING.  71 

Iieaven  to  decide  the  controversies  between  us  and 
Papists,  what  could  he  do  more  but  speak  it  to  us  as 
from  God  ?  and  we  shoukl  still  Ite  uncertain  of  what 
we  see  or  hear:  so  that  we  are  left  incurably  in  our 
ignorance  and  controversies,  if  Popery  be  true. 

Elcre  you  may  see  upon  what  terms  we  dispute 
with  Papists,  and  what  hope  there  is  of  its  satisfying 
them.  We  dispute  with  men  that  will  not  believe  their 
own  senses,  or  senses  of  the  world.  The  damned  man, 
Lul(c  16.  thought  if  one  might  have  been  sent  to  his 
bri'thren  from  the  dead,  they  would  have  believed. 
And  if  Abraham  sa}''  to  them,  if  they  will  not  hear 
Mosc.^  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  rise  from  the  dead  ;  wc  may  say  of  Papists, 
if  they  will  not  believe  their  own  eyes,  and  ears,  and 
taste,  and  know  not  bread  when  they  see,  and  feel  and 
eat  it,  how  should  they  be  persuaded,  though  one  were 
sent  to  them  from  heaven  to  resolve  them?  Can  we 
think  by  all  our  arguments  to  make  any  matter  plainer 
to  a  man  than  that  bread  is  bread,  when  he  seeth  and 
eateth  it?  If  this  be  uncertain  to  them,  what  can  you 
prove  to  them,  or  what  way  can  you  devise  to  deal 
with  them?  For  indeed,  if  sense  be  uncertain,  we 
have  no  certainty  of  any  thing  in  the  world. 

But  to  this,  Tiibervillc,  in  his  Manual  of  Contro- 
versies saith,  substance  is  not  the  proper  and  immedi- 
ate object  of  sense,  but  color,  quantity,  &c.  Nor  can 
sense  judge  at  all  of  substance  though  it  be  under  sen- 
sible accidents,  unless  it  be  the  subject  of  those  acci- 
dents, and  have  a  sensible  and  corporeal  manner  of  be- 
ing, which  the  body  of  Christ  neither  is,  nor  hath  in 
that  sacrament.  It  hath  a  spiritual  manner  of  being, 
and  is  not  the  subject  of  the  accidents  of  bread.  They 
are  without  a  subject  by  miracle  ;  therefore  no  wonder, 
if  sense  be  deceived  in  this  matter.  Here  sense  and 
reason  must  vail  bonnet  to  faith,  and  submit  to  the  au- 
thority of  God  revealing,  and  the  church  propounding: 
they  are  not  competent  judges  what  God  can  do  by  liis 
omnipotence. 

Is  this  all  that  those  Rabbles  have  to  satisfy  the 
world  that  it  is  not  bread  and  wine  which  is  seen,  and 
felt,   and    tasted  I     Is  this  not  like    the  rest  of  their 


H 


JESUIT 


contradictory  imag-inations?  That  Christ  hath  not  jt 
corporeal  manner  of  being  in  the  sacrament:  and  yet 
h  is  not  bread,  but  is  the  body  that  is  there:  he  saith, 
we  maintain  not  his  corporeal,  but  real  and  spiritual 
presence  in  the  sacrament.  So  that  either  they  affinu 
that  his  body  is  present,  and  yet  deny  his  bodily  pres- 
ence, but  not  his  corporeal  presence.  Most  learnedly  ! 
We  shall  at  last  be  taught  to  distinguish  between 
bodily  and  corporeal!  But  is  not  the  juggle  in  the 
word  manner?  Perhaps  the  corporeal  presence  is  not 
denied,  but  the  corporeal  manner.  In  term  it  is  said, 
We  maintain  not  his  corporeal  presence.  And  can  a 
bodybe  present  and  not  in  a  bodily  manner  ?  And  why- 
is  spiritually,  put  as  contradistinct .''  When  Paul  said 
our  bodies  shall  be  raised  spiritual  bodies,  he  thought 
that  they  were  nevertheless  bodies  for  being  spiritual ; 
and  therefore  it  is  nevertheless  a  bodily  manner  of 
presence,  for  being  a  spiritual  manner.  But  if  by 
the  corporeal  presence  or  manner  denied,  be  meant 
nothing  but  the  qualities  and  quantity  by  which  it  is 
fit  to  be  the  object  of  our  senses,  why  had  we  not 
this  plainly  without  juggling?  To  say  Christ  is  pres- 
ent in  body  but  not  sensibly,  is  plainer  English,  than 
to  say  that  he  is  present  in  body  but  not  bodily  present. 

He  calls  them  the  accidents  of  bread,  and  ye^. 
saith,  they  are  without  a  subject.  And  so  doth  the  cx- 
planations  of  the  Roman  Catholic  belief,  and  their  or- 
dinary writers  say  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  under  the 
forms  of  bread  and  wine,  and  yet  say  that  bread  and 
wine  are  none  of  the  subject  of  those  forms. 

He  professeth  transubstantiation  is  a  miracle,  and 
so  every  ignorant,  drunken,  adulterous  priest  of  theirs 
hath  the  gift  of  miracles,  which  he  worketh  as  oft 
as  he  consecrateth.  Such  miracles  are  the  glory  of 
their  church,  and  the  proof  of  their  infallibility. 

He  tells  you  that  substance  is  not  the  proper  and 
immediate  object  of  sense,  but  color,  quantity,  &c.  But  is 
not  the  mediate  object  proper,  as  well  as  the  immedi- 
ate ?  Be  it  a  proper  or  improper  object,  we  may  yet 
believe  that  reason  by  the  help  of  sense  doth  judge  as 
infallibly  of  substances  as  accidents.  If  you  think 
otherwise,   then   all  the  forementioned    consequences 


JUGGLING.  73 

are  undeniable.  You  know  not  whether  tlic  world 
saw  Christ  on  earth  :  or  wliethor  he  were  crucified, 
dead,  buried,  rose,  or  ascended.  It  might  be  but 
color  and  quantity  which  men  saw;  and  when  Christ 
told  them  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  blood  as  ye  see 
me  have,  they  might  have  answered,  we  see  no  flesh 
and  blood,  but  color  and  quantity.  Thomas  had  then 
small  reason  to  be  convinced  by  seeing  and  feeling, 
when  he  saw  but  color  and  quantity,  and  felt  but  quan- 
tity and  quality.  By  this  reasoning  the  world  is  not 
sure  that  ever  there  was  a  Pope  of  Rome,  but  the  col- 
or of  a  Pope,  or  other  accidents.  You  know  not  that 
there  is  any  earth  under  your  feet,  or  that  you  are  a 
man,  or  have  a  body,  because  your  senses  perceive  but 
the  accidents  of  it. 

What  manner  of  men  did  Tuberville  imagine  he 
had  to  deal  with,  when  he  puts  off'  his  readers  with 
such  an  answer  as  this  ?     Mark  the  unfaithful  dealing 
of  those  men,  and  how  grossly  they  abuse  poor  people 
that  follow  them  with  mere  deceits.     The  question  or 
objection    which    he  undertook  to  answer  was,  wheth- 
er sense  telling  us  that  it  is  bread  after  the  consecra- 
tion be   deceived?     To  this  he  tikes  on   him  to  give 
an  answer,  and   cunningly  speaks  to  another  question, 
and  passeth  this  by.      It  is  one  question  whether  sense 
can   infiiUibly  discern   Christ  in   the   sacrament,  if  he 
were  there,  or  discern  that  he  is  not  there?  and  anoth- 
er question  whether  sense    can  infallibly  discern  bread 
and    wine,   and    know   whether   they  be  there?     The 
last  was  the  question  in  hand  :  but  he  slyly  answers  to 
the  first  instead  of  it;  and.  tells  us,  that  sense  cannot 
judge   of  substance,  though    under  sensible  accidents, 
unless  it  be  the  subject  of  those  accidents,  and  have  a 
sensible  and  corporeal  manner  of  being,  which  the  body 
of  Christ  neither  is  nor  hath  in  the  sacrament.     There- 
fore Christ  may  be  in  the  sacrament  and  you  not  dis- 
cern him  by  sense.     What    is  that  to  the  question  ?  is 
it  not  the  holy  truth  of  God  that  you  are  about  ?  and 
should  you  thus  abuse  it,  and  the  souls  of  men  ?     The 
question  is,  whether  sense  and  the  intellect  thereby  be 
infallible  in  judging  bread  to  be  bread  when  we  see,  feel 
and  eat  it  ?     Had  you  never  a  word  to  say  to  this  ?  to 

7 


74  JESUIT 

persuade  men  thai  they  have  eyes  and  see  not,  feel  not, 
or  that  the  world  knoweth  not  certainly  what  they 
seem  to  know  by  seeing  and  feeling?  Ilereafrer  deal 
by  US  as  fairly  as  Bellarmin  did,  who  quite  gave  away 
the  Roman  cause  by  granting  and  pleading  that  sense 
is  infallible  in  positives :  and  therefore  we  may  thence 
say,  this  is  a  body  because  I  see  it ;  and  so  this  is  bread 
or  wine  because  I  see,  feel  and  taste  it,  but  not  in  nega- 
tives: and  therefore  we  cannot  say,  this  is  not  a  body 
because  I  see  it  not.  Give  over  talking  of  the  Pope, 
or  church,  or  religion,  or  men,  if  you  are  uncertain  of 
substances  which  are  the  objects  of  your  sense. 

But  you  say,  sense  and  reason  must  here  vail  bon- 
net to  faith.  In  the  negative  case  let  it  be  granted, 
and  any  case  where  faith  can  be  faith.  But  if  sense 
and  the  intellect  therewith  be  fallible  in  positives,  so 
that  we  cannot  know  bread  when  we  see  and  eat  it, 
faith  cannot  be  faith  then.  What  talk  you  of  faith,  if 
you  credit  not  the  soundest  senses  of  all  the  men  in  the 
world,  when  sense  and  reason  are  presupposed  to  faith  ? 
How  know  you  that  faith  here  contradicteth  sense? 
You  will  say,  because  the  church  or  Scripture  saith  : 
this  is  my  body  :  and  there  is  no  bread  ?  But  how  know 
you  that  there  is  any  such  thing  in  Scripture?  or  that  the 
church  so  holdeth  ?  You  think  you  have  read  or 
heard  it :  but  how  know  you  that  your  sense  deceived 
you  not  i'  He  that  cannot  know  bread  when  he  seeth 
and  eateth  it,  is  unlikely  to  know  letters  and  their  mean- 
ing when  he  seeth  them. 

•  The  simplest  reader  that  hath  honesty  and  charity, 
is  secured  against  Popery  by  the  first  argument,  which 
he  may  make  good  to  his  own  soul  against  all  the 
Jesuits  on  earth.  And  he  that  is  unable  to  proceed  on 
that  account,  may  by  the  evidence  of  this  last  argu- 
ment confute  any  Papist  living,  if  he  be  a  man  of  sense 
and  reason  :  and  having  brought  all  our  controversies 
so  low,  that  sense  itself  may  be  the  judge,  it  is  in  vain 
to  use  any  reason  with  that  man  who  will  not  believe 
his  own  eyesight,  nor  the  sight,  and  feeling,  and  taste 
of  all  the  world. 


JUGGLING.  75 

CHAPTER  [. 

Error  in  fuitk  in  ow  point  is  a  per/  ct  confnlalion  of  all  Poprry. 

I  now  proceed  to  the  principal  part  of  my  task  which 
is  to  open  the  deceits  of  the  Jesuits;  and  to  give  direc- 
tions for  the  discovering-  and  confutation  of  them,  that 
you  may  see  the  truth. 

If  you  prove  them  guilty  hnt  of  any  one  error  in 
points  of  belief  determined  by  their  church,  you  there- 
by disprove  the  ichole  body  of  Popery.  For  you  pull 
up  the  foundation  which  they  build  on,  and  the  aiUhor- 
ity  into  which  they  resolve  their  faith.  They  will 
grant  you,  that  if  they  are  deceived  by  the  church  in 
one  thing-,  they  have  no  certainty  of  any  thing  upon 
the  church's  credit.  So  that  if  you  read  PauVs  dis- 
course against  praying  in  an  unknown  tongue,  or  the 
many  precepts  for  our  reading  and  meditating  in  the 
law  of  God,  or  the  like,  and  can  but  perceive  that  the 
Popish  Latin  service,  or  their  forbidding  men  to  read 
the  Scriptures,  &c.  is  contrary  hereto,  or  if  you  find 
out  but  any  one  of  their  errors,  you  cannot  be  a  Papist, 
if  you  understand  their  profession. 

Thougii  we  know  that  the  Scripture  and  all  that 
is  in  it  is  of  infallible  truth,  and  that  every  true  Chris- 
tian, while  such,  is  infallible  in  the  essentials  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  for  else  he  were  no  Christian  :  yet  we  pro- 
fess that  we  know  but  in  part,  and  that  our  own  writings 
and  confessions  may  possibly  in  somethings  be  beside 
the  sense  of  Scripture;  and  there  being  much  more 
propounded  in  Scripture  to  our  faith,  than  what  is 
of  absolute  necessity  to  salvation,  we  may  possibly,  af- 
ter our  studying  and  praying,  mistake  in  some  things 
that  are  not  of  the  essence,  but  the  integrity  of  Christi- 
anity, and  are  necessary  to  the  strength  or  comfort, 
though  not  to  the  being  of  a  Christian.  So  that  every 
error  in  their  faith,  destroys  their  grounds,  and  their 
new  religion  ;  but  so  doth  not  every  error  of  ours. 

Or  to  speak  more  distinctly ;  let  us  distinguish  be- 
tween their  objective  faith,  and  our  subjective  faith. 
Their  objective  faith  hath  errors   in  it,  but  ours  hath 


76  JESUIT 

none  by  their  own  confession  :  for  theirs  is  all  the  de- 
crees of  their  Popes  and  councils:  and  ours  is  only 
the  Holy  Scripture  :  which  they  confess  to  be  infallible. 
Our  own  writings  do  but  show  how  we  understand  the 
Scriptures,  and  so  whether  our  subjective  faithhe  right 
or  not.  We  confess  that  it  is  not  only  possible  but 
probable,  that  we  are  mistaken  in  some  lower  points, 
about  the  meaning  of  the  Scriptures,  and  yet  our  foun- 
dation is  still  sure.  But  they  have  confounded  their 
subjective  and  objective  faith:  and  one  believes  it  on 
that  account,  because  others  do  believe  it,  and  so  one 
age  or  part  do  but  seek  for  the  object  of  their  faith 
in  the  actual  faith  of  the  other.  They  conclude  that 
every  point  which  is  of  faith,  that  is  determined  by  the 
church  to  be  so,  is  of  such  necessity  to  salvation  that 
no  man  can  be  saved  that  denieth  it,  or  that  doth  not 
believe  it,  if  sufficiently  proposed.  But  we  are  assur- 
ed, that  though  all  that  is  in  Scripture  be  most  true, 
yet  through  misunderstanding,  some  points  there  pro- 
posed to  oar  faith  may  possibly  be  denied  and  disputed 
against  by  a  true  believer ;  and  yet  his  salvation  not 
be  overthrown  by  it.  The  Papists  cry  out  against  us 
for  distinguishing  between  the  fundamentals  or  essen- 
tials of  religion  and  the  integrals  :  but  we  know  it  to 
be  necessary. 


CHAPTER     II. 

That  doctrine  ichich  is  conlranj  lo  Scripture  is  erroneous. 

When  you  have  brought  the  matter  thus  fur,  and  see 
that  if  they  have  one  error  in  faith,  their  whole  cause 
is  lost,  then  consider,  whether  it  be  possible  for  that 
doctrine  vhich  is  so  contrary  to  Scripture,  and  to  it- 
self to  be  free  from  all  error  1  1.  How  contrary  it  is  to 
Scripture:  to  forbid  the  reading  of  Scripture  in  a 
known  tongue  :  their  public  praying  in  an  unknown 
language:  their  administering  to  the  people  by  the 
halves,  denying  them  the  wine,  and  giving  tliem  the 
bread  only:  their  affirming  men  to  be  perfect  without 


JUCGIINO.  77 

«in  in  this  life:  their  calling  some  sins  venial  which  de- 
serve a  pardon,  and  yet  are  truly  no  sins:  their  ab- 
solute forbidding  their  priests  to  marry,  and  saying 
that  there  is  no  bread  and  wine  left  after  the  consecra- 
tion. Dent.  vi.  7,  8,  9.  Deut.  xi.  18,  19,  20.  Isa.  xxxiv. 
16.  Psal.  i.  2.  Nehem.  viii.  Josh.  viii.  34,  35.  Matt.xu, 
35.  xix.  4  xxi.  16.  xxii.  31.  Mark  xW.  \0/ZQ>.  Ads \\\\. 
28.  xiii.  27.  xv.  21.  1  Thess.x  27.  Co/,  iv.  16.  Deut. 
xxxi.  1 1.  Epk.  iii.  4.  Matt.  xxiv.  15.  Rev.  i.  3.  2  Tim. 
iii.  16.  John  \,  39.  Jlcis  xvii.  2,  11.  xviii.  28.  Rom. 
XV.  4.  2  Ti?7i.  iii.  15.  /s^.  viii.  16,  20.  xl.  4.  Rom.  vii.  I. 
James  i.  25.     Hos.  viii.  12. 

1  Cor.  xiv.  31^//.  xxvi.  27,  28.  I  Cor.  xi.  25,  26, 
27,  28.  1  Cor.  x.  16.  Eccl.  vii.  20.  Ja7}ies  iii.  2.  1 
JoAw  i.  8.  PA«7.  iii.  12.  LwA-e  xi.  4.  Dez^^.  xii.  32. 
Gal  iii.  10.  1  JoA/i  iii.  4.  I  .Tm.  iii.  2,  4,  5,  11,  12. 
Ti^  i.  6.  1  Ti?n.  iv.  3.  1  Cor.  ix.  5.  I  Cor.  x.  16.  1 
Cor.  xi.  23,  26,  27,  28.     Ads  ii.  42.     Ads  xx.  7,  11. 

2.  They  are  contrary  to  themselves.  Not  only  sev- 
eral persons,  but  several  countries  go  several  ways;  the 
Trench  are  of  one  way,  and  the  Italians  of  another, 
even  in  the  fundamentals  of  their  faith,  into  which 
all  the  rest  is  resolved.  Their  Popes  have  ordinarily 
been  contrary  to  one  another  in  their  decrees ;  which 
made  PLatina  say,  following  Popes  do  still  either  in- 
fringe or  wholhj  abrogate  the  decrees  of  the  former 
Popes.  Erasmus  saith,  that  Pope  John  XXII.  and 
Pope  Nicholas  are  contrary  one  to  another  in  their 
ichcle  decrees.,  and  in  things  that  belong  to  matters  of 
faith  Had  we  no  instances  but  of  Sergiiis  and  For- 
mosus  and  their  following  partakers,  it  were  enough. 
And  Celestinc' s  case  puts  Bellarmin  to  silly  shifts. 
Their  councils  contradict  each  other.  They  confess 
that  the  Arians  have  had  as  many  councils  as  general 
as  ever  the  orthodox  had:  and  if  it  be  only  the  want 
of  the  Pope's  approbation  that  nulliheth  their  authority, 
then  let  them  tell  us  no  more  of  councils  and  of  all 
the  church,  but  say  plainly  that  it  is  but  one  man  that 
they  mean. 

But  even  their  approved  councils  have  been  con- 
trary :  The  sixth  council  at  Constantinople  approved 
by  Pope  Adrian,   is  now  confessed   to  have  many  er- 

7* 


78  JEStJiT 

rors.  The  council  of  Neocaesarea,  confirmed  by  Pope 
Leo  IV.  and  by  the  Nicene  council,  as  saith  the  coun- 
cil of  Florence  ses.  7.  condemned  second  marriages, 
contrary  to  Scripture.  The  council  at  Lateran  under 
Leo.  X.  determines  that  the  Pope  is  above  a  general 
council ;  and  the  councils  of  Constance  and  Basil  de- 
termine that  the  general  council  is  above  the  Pope, 
and  that  it  is  heresy  to  deny  it. 


CHAPTER     III. 

Principles  and  Proof. 

If  you  enter  into  dispute  tvith  any  Papist,  inquire 
first  what  he  will  take  for  sufficient  proof,  aiid  what 
common  principles  you  aie  agreed  on  by  which  the 
rest  must  be  decided.  Men  that  agree  in  nothing  Q.i  all, 
are  not  capable  of  a  dispute.  For  the  principles  in 
which  they  are  agreed,  are  those  that  the  rest  must 
be  reduced  to.  And  when  you  have  made  this  in- 
quiry, you  shall  find  that  the  Popish  way  of  dispu- 
ting is  to  forbid  you  to  dispute,  unless  you  will  first 
yield  the  cause  to  them  as  beyond  dispute;  and  that 
they  are  not  agreed  with  ihe  rest  of  the  world  in  any 
common  principles  to  which  the  differences  may  be 
reduced  for  trial;  and  so  there  is  no  sort  of  proof 
that  they  will  admit  of  as  sufficient.  If  there  be  any 
ground  of  proof  at  all,  it  must  be  ;  from  the  senses': 
or  from  reason:  or  from  Scripture:  or  from  the 
church;  but  they  will  stand  to  none  of  those. 

Begin  at  the  bottom  of  all,  and  know  of  them  wheth- 
er they  will  take  that  for  a  valid  proof,  which  is  fetch- 
ed from  sense,  even  from  the  sound  senses  of  all  men 
in  the  world,  supposing  a  convenient  object  and  me- 
dium ?  If  they  will  not  take  this  for  proof,  how  can 
you  dispute  with  them  ?  Or  what  proof  can  be  ad- 
mitted, if  this  be  not  admitted?  We  havo  this  advan- 
tage in  dealing,  even  with  those  heathen  that  have  blotted 
out  much  of  the  law  of  nature  itself,  that  yet  they  will 
yield  to  an  argument  from  sense. 


JUGGLING.  79 

But  if  they  would  yield  to  the  validity  of  this  proof: 
then  they  give  away  their  cause,  seeing  sense  telleth  ua 
that  it  is  bread  which  we  see,  feel,  and  eat  after  the 
consecration.  They  know  this;  and  therefore  they 
disown  and  deny  that  proof, 

But  will  they  then  admit  of  proofs  from  reason  1 
No,  that  cannot  be,  if  proof  from  sense  be  not  admit- 
ted. For  reason  receiveth  its  object  by  means  or  oc- 
casion of  the  senses,  and  must  needs  be  deceived  if 
they  are  deceived.  Reason  hath  not  a  principle  that  it 
holds  faster,  than  that  sense  is  to  bo  credited ;  that 
this  is  white  or  black  which  my  own  eyes  and  the 
eyes  of  all  other  men  do  see  to  be  so:  and  so  that 
this  is  bread  which  we  all  see,  and  feel,  and  taste  to 
be  so.  Therefore  Papists  tell  us  that  reason  must 
stoop  to  f:iith  ;  that  is,  they  will  not  stand  to  reason 
when  it  contradicteth  the  doctrine  of  their  sect.  It 
seems  they  are  in  some  parts  of  their  religion  unrea- 
sonable. But  I  would  know,  wliether  tliey  have  any 
reason  to  be  unreasonable.  If  they  have,  then  why 
might  not  our  reason  be  valid  as  well  as  their  reason 
which  they  bring  against  reason?  by  which  they  con- 
tradict themselves.  For  if  reason  be  vain,  why  rea- 
son they  to  prove  its  vanity  or  invalidity.''  But  if 
they  have  no  reason  against  reason,  let  them  confess 
it,  and  offer  us  none,  and  then  their  disputes  will  do  no 
harm.  AV^e  easily  yield,  that  we  have  reason  to  be- 
lieve God's  revelation,  about  those  things  whi<'h  we 
had  no  reason  to  believe  if  they  were  not  revealed: 
and  that  many  of  those  revelations  are  above  reason, 
so  far  as  that  reason  cannot  discern  the  truth  of  the 
thing  without  them  :  yea,  it  would  rather  judge  the 
tilings  improbable.  But  yet  revelations  are  received  by 
reason,  and  inform  reason,  and  not  destroy  it ;  nor  do 
they  so  contradict  sense  or  reason,  as  to  make  that  cred- 
ible which  sense  and  reason  have  sufficient  ground  to 
judge  false. 

So  that  here  we  must  break  with  a  Papist,  even  where 
we  might  join  in  dispute  with  a  heathen.  And  how 
will  Papists  deal  with  heathens  if  they  will  deny  the 
proofs  from  sense  and  reason  .'' 

But  will  they  stand   to  the  validity  of  proofs  from 


so  JEBtJlT 

Scripture  ?  No  :  for  they  take  it  to  be  but  part  of  God's 
word,  so  that  \vc  may  not  argue  negatively,  it  is  not  in 
the  Holy  Scripture  :  therefore  it  is  not  an  article  of  faith 
or  a  law  of  God.  For  they  will  presently  appeal  to 
tradition,  &•:,  And  even  so  much  as  is  in  Scripture, 
though  they  confess  it  to  be  true,  yet  they  confess  it  not 
to  be  by  us  intelligible,  and  will  not  admit  of  any  proof 
from  it  but  with  this  limitation,  that  you  take  it  in  that 
sense  as  the  church  take  it.  For  they  are  sworn  by  the 
Trent  oath,  to  take  it  in  that  sense  as  the  holy  mother 
church  doth  hold  and  hath  held  it  in,  and  never  to  take 
or  interpret  it,  but  according  to  the  unanimous  sense  of 
the  fathers.  So  that  they  must  know  what  sense  all  the 
fathers  are  unanimous  in  before  they  can  admit  a  proof 
from  Scripture.  And  before  that  can  be  done,  a  load  of 
books  must  be  read  over  or  searched:  and  when  that  is 
done,  they  will  find  that  most  texts  were  never  meddled 
with  by  most  of  those  fathers  in  their  writings :  and  in 
those  that  they  did  meddle  with  they  disagreed  in  mul- 
titudes, and  where  they  agree  they  are  not  unanimous: 
and  thus  the  Papists  are  sworn  to  believe  no  sense  at 
all.  If  they  would  have  come  down  to  a  major  vote,  it 
is  no  short  or  easy  matter  to  gather  the  votes.  If  they 
know  the  fathers'  unanimous  consent,  yet  must  they 
have  the  sense  of  the  present  church  too :  but  is  it  not 
all  one  to  make  your  adversary  the  judge  of  your  cause, 
as  the  judge  of  your  evidences  and  all  your  proofs  .'' 

Will  they  stand  to  the  judgment  of  the  catholic 
church?  No;  for  when  they  deny  proof  from  sense 
and  reason,  they  must  needs  deny  all  that  is  brought 
from  the  church :  for  the  church  cannot  judge  itself 
but  on  supposition  of  the  infallibility  of  sense.  When 
you  argue  from  the  judgment  and  practice  of  the  great- 
er part  of  the  church,  they  presently  disclaim  them  all  as 
heretics  or  schismatics,  and  will  have  no  man  to  be  a 
valid  witness  but  themselves.  The  Greeks,  the  Ethio- 
pians, the  Armenians,  the  Protestants,  all  are  heretics 
or  schismatics  save  they ;  and  therefore  may  not  be 
witnesses  in  the  case.  So  that  you  see  that  Papists  will 
admit  of  no  proofs  from  sense  or  reason,  or  the  suffi- 
ciency of  Scripture,  or  the  testimony  of  the  catholic 
church,  but  only  from  themselves. 


JUGaLIIIC.  gl 

CHAPTER     IV. 

Judge  of  Controversies. 

Understand  what  the  Papists  mean  ivhcn  they  call 
ripon  you  for  a  judge  oj  controversies. 

If  you  dispute  with  them,  they  ask  you,  icho  shall  be 
the  judge?  and  \  ersuado  you  tirit  it  is  in  vain  to  dis- 
pute witliout  a  living  judge  :  for  every  man  will  be  the 
judge  himself;  and  every  man's  cause  be  right  in  his 
own  eyes,  and  all  the  world  will  be  still  at  odds  till  we 
are  agreed  who  shall  be  the  judge. 

1.  You  may  easily  observe  that  this  is  the  plain  drift 
of  all,  to  persuade  you  to  make  them  your  judges,  and 
yield  the  cause  instead  of  disputing  it.  For  it  is  no  oth- 
er judge  but  themselves  that  they  will  admit.  Yield 
first  that  the  Pope  or  his  council  is  the  judge  of  all  con- 
troversies, then  it  is  folly  to  dispute  against  them  :  so 
that  if  you  will  yield  them  the  cause  first,  they  will 
then  dispute  with  you  after. 

The  necessity  of  a  judge  is  a  pretence :  for  it  is  against 
all  reason  and  experience  to  think  that  all  inquiries  or  dis- 
putes are  vain,  unless  there  be  a  judge  to  decide  the 
case.  A  judge  is  a  ruling  decider  ;  not  to  satisfy  men's 
minds,  so  much  as  to  preserve  order,  and  peace,  and 
justice  in  society.  But  there  are  thousands  of  cases 
to  be  privately  discussed,  that  we  never  need  to  bring  to 
a  judge.  Every  husbandman,  or  tradesman,  or  naviga- 
tor, or  other  artificer  meets  with  doubts  and  difficulties  in 
his  way  which  he  laboreth  to  discern,  and  satisfieth 
himself  with  a  judgment  of  discretion  without  a  ruling 
judge.  We  eat  and  drink,  and  clotlie  ourselves,  and  fol- 
low our  daily  labors  without  a  judge,  though  we  meet 
with  controversies  in  almost  all.  Men  marry,  and  build, 
and  buy,  and  sell,  and  take  physic,  and  dispatch  their 
greatest  worldly  business  without  a  judge.  Judges  are 
only  for  such  controverted  cases  as  cannot  well  be  decided 
without  them,  to  the  attaining  of  the  ends  of  govern- 
ment. 

2.  Is  it  not  against  the  daily  practice  of  the  Papists 
to  think  or  say  that  all  disputes  and  controversies  must 


82  JESUIT 

have  a  judge  ?  Who  is  the  judge  between  the  nominals, 
reals,  and  formalists,  the  Dominicans,  Franciscans  and 
Jesuits,  in  all  those  controversies  which  have  cartloads 
of  books  written  on  them  ?  Their  Popes  or  councils 
dare  not  judge  between  them.  Do  they  not  daily  dis- 
pute in  their  schools  among  themselves  without  a  judge? 
and  still  write  books  against  one  another  without  a  judge? 
3.  Understand  well  the  use  and  differences  of  judg- 
ment. The  sentence  is  but  a  means  to  the  execution  : 
and  judges  cannot  determine  the  mind  and  will  of  man  : 
but  preserve  outward  order,  if  men  will  not  see  the  truth 
themselves.  The  Jesuits  that  are  so  eager  for  free  will, 
should  easily  grant  that  the  Pope  by  his  definition  can- 
not determine  the  will  of  man.  They  see  that  heretics 
remain  heretics,  when  the  Pope  hath  said  all  that  he  can  : 
and  if  he  can  cure  them  all  by  his  determinations,  he  is 
much  to  blame  that  lie  doeth  not.  If  a  man's  mind  can 
be  settled,  an  infallible  teacher  is  fitter  than  a  judge. 
Judgment  then  being  for  execution,  w^hen  you  ask,  who 
shall  be  the  judge  ?  I  answer,  judgment  is  either  total, 
absolute  and  final:  or  it  is  only  to  a  certain  particular 
end,  limited  and  subordinate,  from  which  there  is  an  ap- 
peal. In  the  former  case,  there  is  no  judge  but  Christ, 
and  the  Father  by  him.  No  absolute  decision  can  be 
made  till  the  great  judgment  come  ;  and  then  all  will 
be  fully  and  finally  decided.  And  for  the  limited  pres- 
ent judgments  of  men,  they  are  of  several  sorts  accord- 
ing to  their  several  ends.  When  the  question  is,  who 
shall  be  corporally  punished  as  a  heretic  ?  the  magistrate 
is  judge  :  for  coercive  punishment  being  his  work,  the 
judgment  must  be  his  also.  But  when  the  question  is, 
who  shall  be  excommunicated  as  a  heretic  ?  as  God's 
law  hath  told  us  who,  so  is  the  rule  of  decision  about  in- 
dividuals. To  try  individual  persons,  and  cases  accor- 
ding to  this  law,  belongs  to  the  governors  of  the  church  : 
but  not  to  the  governors  of  other  churches  a  thousand 
miles  off,  that  never  received  such  an  authority,  and  are 
not  capable  of  the  work  :  but  to  the  governors  of  the 
church  in  which  the  party  hath  communion,  and  into 
which  he  shall  at  any  time  intrude  and  seek  communion. 
All  men  have  a  judgment  of  discerning  that  are  concern- 
ed in  the  execution. 


JUGGLING.  83 

So  thai  if  ti  disputing  Papist  will  sfiy  tliat  iiis  business 
is  not  to  dispute  with  you,  but  to  cxconiniunicato,  or 
hang,  or  burn  you  for  a  heretic,  then  1  confess  there 
is  all  the  reason  in  the  world  that  you  should  first 
agree  upon  the  judge.  But  why  the  Po])c  should  be  the 
judge,  1  know  not. 


CHAPTER     V. 

End  of  contrctversy. 

Papists  tell  you,  that  in  their  icay  there  is  an  end  of 
co}itroversics,  but  in  yours  there  is  none  :  for  if  you  ivill 
not  stand  to  One^s  judgment  as  infallible^  you  may  dis- 
pute as  long  as  you  live  before  you  come  to  an  end. 

In  discussing  this  part  of  the  deceit : — 1.  We  confess 
that  on  earth  there  will  be  no  end  of  all  controversies  among 
the  best :  nor  of  the  great  controversies  which  salvation 
lieth  on,  between  the  believers  and  unbelievers :  that  is, 
there  will  be  still  infidelity  and  heresy  in  the  world,  and 
error  in  the  godly  themselves.  IJath  it  not  been  so  in 
every  age  till  now  \  And  wh}'^  should  we  expect  that 
it  should  now  be  otherwise  ?  Doth  not  Paul  tell  us  that 
here  we  know  but  in  part,  and  prophesy  in  part  1  and 
that  which  is  imperfect  will  not  be  done  away,  until  that 
which  is  perfect  is  come "?  While  we  know  but  in  part, 
we  shall  ditVer  in  part. 

2.  Hath  your  way  put  an  end  to  controversies  any- 
more than  ours  1  Are  you  not  yet  at  controversy  with 
infidels,  whether  Christ  be  the  Redeemer,  and  with  here- 
tics whether  he  be  true  eternal  (Jod  ]  Are  you  not  yet 
as  full  of  controversies  among  yourselves,  as  any  Chris- 
tians on  the  face  of  the  earth  1  In  the  many  volumes  of 
your  schoolmen,  casuists,  and  commentators,  I  can  shew 
more  controversies  yet  depending,  than  you  can  find 
among  all  Christians  in  the  world  together. 

3.  Is  there  any  thing  in  your  way  that  better  tondeth 
to  the  deciding  of  controversies  than  in  ours  ?  Con- 
trarily,  you  have  made  more  controversies  than  you  have 
ended.      We  have  a  certain   infallible    rule  to  decide 


84  JESUIT 

our  controversies  by,  such  as  you  confess  yourselves 
to  be  infallible;  even  the  Holy  Scriptures.  But  you 
have  an  uncertain  rule,  even  the  decrees  of  your  Popes 
and  councils,  and  the  many  volumes  of  the  fathers, 
which  are  at  odds  among  thcniseh  es  ;  your  very  rule  is 
self-contradictino-,  and  your  judges  are  together  by  the 
ears.  Our  Faith  consistcth  in  those  points  which  are 
granted  by  yourselves,  and  so  are  beyond  controversy 
between  us  and  you.  But  yours  lieth  in  a  mixture  of 
men's  corruptions,  which  will  ever  be  controverted  and 
condemned.  Our  Faith  consistcth  in  the  few  ancient 
articles  by  which  the  church  was  always  known  as  to 
its  essentials.  But  you  confound  the  essentials  with  the 
integrals :  and  the  number  of  your  necessary  articles  is 
so  great,  as  must  need  be  matter  of  more  controvers}' 
than  ours. 

4.  We  know  our  religion,  and  where  to  find  it.  It 
was  perfect  at  the  first,  and  receiveth  no  additions  or 
diminutions.  One  generation  cometh,  and  another  goeth, 
but  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever.  But  you 
never  know  when  you  have  all,  because  you  know  not 
when  your  Pope  will  have  done  defining.  That  is  an 
article  of  faith  to  you  one  year  that  was  none  the  year 
before,  nor  ever  before. 

5.  We   need   no  judge  to   decide   any    controversies 
among  us  in  the  points  of  absolute  necessity  to  salvation: 
both  because  the  Scripture  is  so  plain  in  those  points,  as 
to  serve  for  decision  without  a  judge  ;   and  because  we 
abhor  to  make  a  controversy  of  an}'  of  them  ;  and  where 
there  is  no  controversy  there  needs  no  judge.     We  are 
all  agreed,  through   the   plainness  of  the  Scripture,  that 
there  is  but  one,  eternal,  most  wise,  and  good,  and  om- 
nipotent God :  and  that  there  is  one  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  wbo  is  himself  both   God  and  man,  that 
was  crucified,  dead,  buried,  went  to  liadcs,  rose  again, 
ascended,  intercedeth   for   us,  and  is  king  and  head  of 
the   church  :   and   will   raise   tlic    dead,    and    judge    the 
world,  some  to  heaven,  and  some  to  hell.     These  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  essentials  of  our  fahh,  and  many  more 
points  that  are  not  essentials,  are  so  plain  in  Scripture, 
that  we  are  past  making  them  a  matter  of  controversy. 
If  any  man  deny  an  essential  point  of  faith,  he  is  none 


JUGGLING.  86 

of  US.  But  you  are  so  deep  iii  infidelity,  tlint  you  must 
have  a  judj^e  to  decide  your  controversies  in  the  neces- 
sary articles  of  faitli.  For  wliatever  is  of  faitli  you 
make  to  he  of  sucli  equal  necessity,  that  you  deride 
our  distinguishing^  the  fundamentals  from  the  rest.  Do 
you  think  Ciuistians  need  a  judge,  or  must  put  it  to  a 
judge  to  decide,  ivhethcr  Christ  be  the  3Icssias  or  not? 
whether  he  died  and  rose  again  or  not  1  whether  he  will 
judge  the  world  or  not  ?  W  he  he  a  judge,  he  must 
have  power  to  oblige  you  to  stand  to  his  determination 
on  which   side    soever    he    determine.     And    if   John 

XXII.  determine  that  the  soul  is  not  immortal,  or  John 

XXIII.  that  there  is  no  resurrection  or  life  to  come,  but 
a  man  dicth  like  a  beast :  would  you  stand  to  that  de- 
cision? 

G.  If  you  say  that  your  judge  hath  power  to  oblige 
you  only  on  one  side,  that  is,  when  he  judgeth  right,  and 
so  make  no  judge  of  him,  but  a  teacher,  we  have  such 
judges  as  well  as  you,  even  teachers  to  show  us  the  evi- 
dence of  truth. 

7.  If  you  say  that  you  have  a  judge  to  determine  of 
iieresy  in  order  to  excommunication,  so  have  we;  even 
the  pastors  of  the  churches,  who  are  bound  to  unite  and 
assist  each  other  in  such  works.  What  is  to  be  account- 
ed heresy,  the  law  of  God  sufficiently  determineth  :  and 
what  particular  persons  are  to  be  judged  heretics  and 
excommunicated  according  to  that  law,  the  particular 
pastors  that  are  on  the  place  can  better  decide,  than  a 

,  Pope  that  is  a  thousand,  or  five  thousand  miles  off,  and 
cannot  hear  the  witnesses.  And  do  you  not  yourselves 
decide  almost  all  such  cases  of  your  subjection,  by  the 
present  priests  and  prelates,  and  not  by  the  Pope  ?  And 
why  may  not  we  do  so  then  as  well  as  you  ? 

8.  But  you  lay  all  upon  your  Pope's  and  council's  in- 
fallibility. Believe  that  infalibility  if  you  can.  I  should 
think  myself  a  miserable  man,  if  I  were  not  myself  more 
infallible  than  your  Popes  have  been.  Every  Christian, 
while  such,  is  infallible  in  his  belief  of  the  Christian 
faith ;  and  the  Scripture  is  an  infallible  ground  of  our  be- 
lief. 

9.  Is  it  not  a  plain  judgment  of  God  upon  you,  that 
while  you  make  the  Scripture  so  dark  and  not  intelligi- 


86  jEsuif 

ble,  and  cry  up  the  necessity  of  a  living  judge;  you 
should  not  only  swarm  with  difl'erences  among  yourselves, 
but  should  be  utterly  disagreed,  and  at  a  loss  to  know 
who  is  that  judge  of  controversies ;  one  saying  it  is  the 
Pope,  and  another  that  it  is  the  council :  and  what  the 
better  are  you  for  saying,  there  must  be  a  judge,  as  long 
as  you  cannot  tell  who  it  must  be  1  It  is  not  only  un- 
certain among  you,  whether  Pope  or  council  be  the  in- 
fallible judge,  but  also  which  is  a  true  Pope,  and  which 
is  a  lawful  general  council?  For  forty  years  at  least  to- 
gether the  church  could  not  know  the  true  Pope,  but 
the  more  learned  and  upright  men  were  divided  :  nor  is  it 
known  to  this  day.  Frequently  the  strongest  carried  it, 
and  success  was  his  best  title.  General  councils  them- 
selves knew  not  the  right  Pope.  The  council  at  Con- 
stance and  Basil  knew  not  tlie  right  Pope.  They  at 
Basil  thought  Felix  Y.  the  true  Pope,  and  Eugenius  no 
Pope :  but  friends  and  strength  confuted  a  general 
council,  and  proved  that  Eugenius  was  the  Pope.  Who 
knows  which  council  to  take  for  authority?  What  cata- 
logues have  you  of  reprobated  councils,  and  of  doubtful 
councils,  and  partly  approved,  partly  reprobate,  and 
who  knows  wliich  and  how  far ;  but  only  that  is  approv- 
ed, that  plcaseth  the  Pope,  and  tlmt  reprobate  that  dis- 
])leascth  him,  and  yet  perhaps  approved  by  a  former 
Pope.  So  that  you  are  all  confusion  and  uncertainty 
about  your  true  Popes  and  general  councils. 

What  a  loss  are  you  at  to  know  their  decrees  and  ca- 
nons? What  a  fardel  of  false  decretal  epistles  have  you 
thrust  upon  the  world  ;  decretals  that  use  a  translation 
of  the  Scripture  that  was  formed  a  long  time  after  the 
death  of  tlie  supposed  authors  of  those  epistles.  Decre- 
tals which  make  mention  of  persons  and  things  that 
were  many  score  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  the 
feigned  authors.  Those  are  your  new  Scriptures,  and  by 
those  our  faith  must  be  regulated,  and  our  controver- 
sies decided. 

Your  canons  are  uncertain.  Some  have  but  twenty 
canons  of  the  first  general  council  at  Nice  :  and  others 
have  the  new  found  rabble  of  additions.  Much  more 
uncertainty  or  certain  forgery  there  is  in  the  canons 
called  the  apostles. 


JUGOLIiNC.  S7 

1  appeal  to  all  tlic  impartial  reason  in  the  world,  wheth- 
er your  voluniinousi,  apocryphal  uncertain  faitii  that 
needs  a  living  judjie,  and  cannot  find  one,  or  agree  upon 
him,  tliat  leaves  your  controversies  still  undecided,  be  u 
liker  way  to  peace  and  unity,  than  our  short  and  plain 
articles  and  infallible  Scripture  faith,  that  hath  less  mat- 
ter of  contention,  and  better  means  to  prevent  it,  even 
faithful  teachers  and  judges  in  every  church  and  com- 
monwealth, which  shall  so  far  determine  as  may  preserve 
tiie  peace  of  those  societies,  leaving  the  final  full  decis- 
ion of  all  to  the  eternal  judge  that  is  even  at  the  door. 

10.  Is  not  God's  hand  of  judgment  yet  more  obser- 
vable against  you,  that  when  your  Popes  and  councils 
have  passed  their  ju  Igment,  the  several  sects  are  unable 
to  understand  them]  Witness  the  sentence  against  the 
Jansenisls,  of  which  the  persons  that  seem  to  be  condemn- 
ed, say,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  or  words  in  all  Jan- 
senius'  writings,  as  the  Pope  saith  are  in  him,  and  con- 
■demneth  as  his  :  and  the  controversy  is  as  far  from  a  de- 
cision, as  if  the  Pope  had  held  his  peace.  Your  great 
disputer  White,  is  the  same,  for  all  the  Pope's  determi- 
nation. 

Take  another  instance,  whether  the  Pope  or  council 
be  supreme  ]  The  councils  of  Constance  and  Basil  de- 
termined it  one  way  as  of  faith,  and  yet  that  made  no 
end  of  the  controversy.  The  council  of  Lateran  and 
Pope  Leo  X.  determined  it  the  other  way  ;  and  yet  it 
is  a  controversy  after  two  contrary  decisions  :  and  som« 
say  one  way,  some  the  other:  and  others  say,  it  is  yet 
undecided,  for  fear  of  angering  the  French  by  casting 
them  ofi'  as  heretics.  The  council  at  Basil,  scss.  36.,  fully 
determined  the  controversy  between  the  Franciscans  and 
Dominicans  about  the  Virgin  Mary's  immaculate  concep- 
tion: and  yet  it  is  undetermined  still  ;  and  White  afiirms, 
that  certainly  there  is  no  tradition  for  it,  nor  any  proba- 
bility that  ever  the  negative  will  be  defined.  Apolog, 
for  tradit.  p.  64,  65,  G(^.  He  carricth  it  as  boldly  out,  as 
if  no  council  had  made  or  meddled  with  it.  The  words 
of  the  council  are  these:  "A  hard  question  hath  been 
in  divers  parts,  and  before  this  holy  synod,  about  the 
conception  of  the  glorious  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  her  sanctification  ;   some   saying  that  the  Virgin 


88  JESUIT 

and  her  soul  were  for  some  time  or  instant  of  time  actu- 
ally under  original  sin  :  others  on  the  contrary,  saying, 
that  from  tlie  heginning  of  her  creation,  God  loving 
her,  gave  her  grace  by  which  preserving  and  freeing 
that  blessed  person  from  the  original  spot,  ifcc.  We, 
having  diligently  looked  into  the  authorities  and  reasons, 
which  for  many  years  past  have  in  public  relation  on 
both  sides  been  alleged  before  this  holy  synod,  and 
having  seen  many  other  things  about  it,  and  weighed 
■them  by  mature  consideration,  do  define  and  declare, 
that  the  doctrine  affirming  that  the  glorious  Virgin 
Mary,  the  mother  of  God,  by  the  singular  preventing  and 
operating  grace  of  God,  was  never  actually  under  origi- 
nal sin,  but  was  ev^er  free  from  all  original  and  actual 
sin,  and  was  holy  and  immaculate,  is  to  be  approved,  held 
and  embraced  of  all  catholics  as  godly  and  consonant  to 
church  worship,  catholic  faith,  right  reason,  and  sacred 
Scripture:  and  that  henceforth  it  shall  be  lawful  for  no 
man  to  preach  and  teach  the  contrary."  Is  not  this 
plain  defining'? 

But  it  is  said,  that  was  not  an  approved  council.  It  was 
owned  by  Pope  Eugcnius  himself.  The  council  of 
Basil  was  approved  by  the  Pope  :  for  Pope  Felix  V. 
ane  of  the  best  Popes  that  ever  Rome  had  for  a  thous- 
and years  past,  approved  it  in  this  point :  not  only  bv 
accepting  their  election,  but  in  express  terms  "professing 
firmly  to  hold  the  faith  of  the  councils  of  Constance  and 
Basil,  and  to  keep  it  inviolate  to  a  tittle,  and  confirm  it 
with  his  soul  and  blood  :  promising  faithfully  to  labor  to 
defend  the  catholic  faith,  and  for  the  execution  and  ob- 
servation of  the  decrees  of  the  councils  of  Constance 
and  Basil,  swearing  to  prosecute  the  celebration  of  gen-» 
eral  councils,  und  confirmation  of  elections,  according  to 
the  decrees  of  the  holy  council  of  Basil,"  sess.  40.  "  If 
they  say  that  Felix  was  not  a  true  Pope  :  then  Martin 
y,  chosen  by  the  council  at  Constance  was  no  true  Pope ; 
and  then  where  is  your  succession  ?  These  things  are 
plain  and  cannot  be  denied,  though  unconscionable 
shifters,  that  argue  according  to  their  wills,  may  find 
words  to  beguile  the  simple. 

Hence  your  catholic  church  representative  is  nothing 
if  one  man  like  it  not. 


JUGGLING.  89 

How  largely  hath  the  council  of  Trent  dealt  about 
original  sin:  and  yet  the  foresaid  White  saith,  that  "If 
the  people  were  taught  that  original  sin  is  nothing  but  a  dis- 
position to  evil,  or  a  natural  weakness,  which  unlcs?; 
prevented  brings  infallibly  sin  and  damnation  :  and  that 
in  itself  it  deserves  neither  reproach  nor  punishment,  aa 
long  as  it  proceeds  not  to  actual  sin,  the  heat  of  vulgar 
devotion  would  bo  cooled,  <fcc."  which  is  a  mere  Pelagian 
issue  of  all  the  determinations  about  original  sin,  which 
thev    swear  to  believe. 


CHAPTER     VI. 

Papal   Unity. 

You  may  thus  see  what  to  think  of  theii'  glorying  in 
their  uniti/,  and  accusing  our  divisions.  One  of  the 
principal  arguments  that  they  prevail  by,  is  by  tel- 
ling the  people  into  how^  many  sects  we  are  divided. 
That  the  catholic  church  is  but  one  ;  but  we  are  many. 
And  they  will  tell  you  of  all  the  names  they  can  reckon 
up  ;  and  that  all  the  division  comes  by  departing  from 
the  Roman  Church ;  every  man  being  left  to  be  of  what 
religion  his  fancy  leadeth  him  to,  for  want  of  an  univer- 
sal judge  of  controversies.  They  ask  you  what  reason 
you  have  among  all  those  sects  to  believe  one  of  them 
rather  than  another  l  So  they  would  persuade  you  that 
there  is  no  way  for  unity  but  by  turning  Papists,  that 
we  may  be  united  in  the  Pope  of  Rome. 

1.  To  all  that  dvoceit,  wc  give  them  a  full  answer.  It  is 
not  every  kind  of  unity  that  is  desirable  :  but  unit}'  with 
truth,  and  honesty,  and  safety.  It  is  easier  to  agree  in 
evil  than  in  good  :  for  evil  findeth  more  friendship  with 
corrupted  nature,  and  hath  more  servants  in  the  world. 
The  wicked  are  more  airreed,  and  f\ir  more  in  number,  of 
one  mind,  than  the  godly  are.  The  Mohammedans  are 
far  more  agreed  ;  and  in  a  far  greater  number,  than 
the  Papists  are.  Tiie  devils  have  some  agreement  in 
their  way.  They  are  all  agreed  to  hate  Christ  and  his 
members,  and  to  s^ek  night  and  day  whom  they  may 

8* 


90  SESVit 

devour.  It  is  easier  to  agree  in  a  Papist's  work  than  in 
ours.  To  center  carnally  in  a  sinful,  and  a  most  wicked 
man.  To  agree  in  certain  forms  and  ceremonies,  which 
flesh  and  hlood  are  glad  to  delude  themselves  with,  instead 
of  the  life  of  f^iith  and  love.  It  is  easy  to  agree  in  such 
a  carnal  religion.  To  spare  the  lahor  and  time  of  study 
and  searching  after  truth,  and  to  cast  their  souls  upon 
the  faith  of  others,  even  the  Pope  or  a  council  ;  that  is 
an  easy  thing  for  lazy  ungodly  men  to  agree  in.  But  to 
make  the  truth  our  own,  and  get  the  law  of  Christ 
written  in  our  own  hearts,  and  to  live  upon  it,  and  walk 
in  the  light,  and  emhrace  all  those  truths  that  are  most 
against  our  fleshy  inclination  and  interest,  is  not  so  easy 
for  corrupted  nature  to  ageee  upon. 

2.  Christ  has  told  us  that  it  is  a  little  flock  to  whom  he 
gives  the  kingdom,  Luke  12.  32.,  and  that  the  gate  i& 
strait,  and  way  narrow  that  leads  to  life,  and  few  there 
be  that  find  it;  and  the  gate  is  wide  and  the  way  broad 
that  leads  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  that  enter 
at  it.  And  therefore  it  is  no  great  wonder  if  en  or  and 
sin  have  tiie  greater  number. 

3.  There  is  a  far  more  excellent  unity  and  concord 
among  the  true  reformed  catholics,  than  among  the  Pa- 
pists, who  do  but  cheat  poor  souls  with  the  false  pretence 
of  unity. 

They  are  utterly  divided  and  disagreed  about  thai 
very  power  in  which  they  should  unite,  and  which  they 
pretend  must  harmonize  them  in  all  other  things.  One 
half  of  them  are  for  the  sovereignty  of  a  Pope,  and 
the  other  of  a  general  council:  and  that  as  a  point  of 
faith.  So  that  tliere  is  no  possibility  of  union  with  them, 
who  arc  divided  in  the  very  point  in  which  they  invite 
us  to  unite  with  them.  If  the  eye  be  dark  how  shall 
the  body  see  ?  If  they  cannot  agree  about  that  power 
that  they  say  must  unite  them  in  all  things  else,  what 
hope  is  there  of  an  agreement   witli  tiiem  ? 

But  for   our  parts  we  are  all  agreed  that  Christ  onl\ 
is  the  head  of  the  church,  and  in  him  wc  all  unite. 

With  us,  they  are  but  some  few  half-witted  self-con- 
ceited novices  that  fall  ofl'  and  disagree  from  us  in  any 
thing  that  destroyeth  salvation.  But  with  the  Papists, 
princes  arc  against  princes,  and  nations  against  nations, 


JUOCLINC.  91 

anJ  much  more,  general  councils  against  general  coun" 
cils,  even  in  tiie  foundation  of  their  faitii.  80  tliat  let 
the  general  councils  he  never  so  full  and  learned,  and 
justly  called,  yet  if  they  be  against  the  Pope's  sover- 
eiijuty  over  them,  the  other  party  call  them  hut  false 
councils  and  conventicles.  Of  how  greilt  moment  this 
diflerence  is,  let  Cajetan  he  a  witness,  who  in  his  ora- 
tion in  the  council  at  the  Lateran,  under  Leo.  X<  in- 
veighing against  the  councils  at  Pisa,  Constance  and  Ba- 
sil, makes  one  to  be  Babel,  and  the  other  Jerusalem. 

Papists  are  divided  into  two  several  pretended  church- 
es, hy  nuikiug  themselves  two  sovereigns  :  but  so  are  not 
we:  for  we  have  but  one  head  Jesus  Christ.  That  they 
are  two  churches,  hear  the  words  of  Cajetan,  Bin.  p.  552. 
"  This  novelty  of  Pisa  sprung  up  at  Constance,  and 
vanished.  At  Basil  it  sprung  up  again  and  exploded. 
If  you  he  men,  it  will  also  be  repressed  as  it  was  under 
Eugenius  IV'.  For  it  cometh  not  from  heaven  and  there- 
fore will  not  be  lasting.  Nor  doth  it  embrace  the  prin- 
cipality of  that  one,  who  is  in  the  church  trumphant,  and 
j)reserveth  the  church  militant ;  and  which  the  Synod  of 
Pisa  ought  to  embrace  if  it  came  from  heaven,  and  not 
as  it  doth,  to  rely  on  the  government  of  a  multitude. 
The  church  of  the  Pisans  therefore  doth  far  differ  from 
this  church  of  Christ.  For  one  is  the  church  of  believ- 
ers ;  the  otlier  of  cavillers.  One  of  the  household  of 
God  ;  the  other  of  the  erroneous.  One  is  the  church 
of  Christian  men  :  the  otlier  of  such  as  fear  not  to  tear 
the  coat  of  Christ,  and  divide  the  mystical  members  of 
Christ  from  his  mystical  bod^^  "  This  was  spoken  in 
that  council  with  applause.  Can  there  bo  greater  divi- 
sions than  those  1 

4.  They  have  been  utterly  divided  about  the  very 
power  of  choosing  their  Pope,  in  whom  they  must  unite. 
In  one  age  the  people  chose  him.  In  another  the 
clergy  chose  him.  Sometimes  both  together.  For  a 
long  time  the  emperors  chose  him.  At  last,  only  the 
cardinals  chose  him.  Sometimes  a  general  council  hath 
chosen  him.  Our  catholic  church  hath  no  such  uncer- 
tain head,  but  one  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  to  day, 
and  forever. 

5.  They  have  often   had  two  or  three  Popes  at  once, 


92  JESUIT 

and  one  part  of  the  church  followed  one,  and  another 
the  other.  For  forty  years  together,  none  knew  the 
true  Pope.  Cajetan  saith  ;  "Of  the  schism  of  that  time 
there  were  three  so  accounted  Popes,  tliat  none  of  them 
miglit  bo  esteemed  the  successor  of  Peter,  either  certain, 
or  without  ambiguity."  For  many  ages  one  part  ran  after 
one,  and  the  other  after  the  other,  or  strove  about  them. 
But  we  are  all  agreed  in  our  head  without  controversy. 

6.  They  killed  multitudes  of  persons  in  their  divisions 
about  the  choice  of  their  Pope,  as  in  the  choice  of  Da- 
masus.  They  had  many  bloody  wars  to  tlie  dividing  of 
the  church  about  their  Popes,  and  between  Pope  and 
Popo.  That  was  their  unity.  It  would  make  a  Chris- 
tian ashamed  and  grieved  to  read  of  the  lamentable  wars 
and  divisions  of  Christendom  ;  between  and  about  their 
Popes. 

7.  Popes  and  christian  emperors,  kings  and  princes, 
have  been  in  lonfr  and  sfrievous  wars. 

8.  They  have  set  princes  against  princes,  and  nations 
against  nations,  in  wars  about  the  causes  of  the  Popes 
for  many  ages  together. 

9.  They  have  set  kings  and  tlieir  own  subjects  to- 
gether in  wars,  as  all  Christendom  have  known  by  sad 
experience. 

10.  They  have  excommunicated  princes,  and  encour- 
aged their  subjects  to  expel  them,  and  to  murder  them: 
hence  were  the  inhuman  murders  of  Henry  III.  and 
Henry  IV.  kings  of  France  ;  and  the  powder  plot,  and 
many  treasons  in  England.     That  is  their  unity. 

11.  They  center  and  unite  the  Church  in  an  impotent, 
insufficient  head,  that  is  not  able  to  do  the  office  of  a 
head,  and  therefore  cannot  possibly  preserve  unity.  But 
our  head  is  all  sufficient. 

12.  They  set  up  not  only  a  controverted  head,  which 
all  the  churches  never  agreed  to,  nor  ever  will  do,  but 
also  a  false  usurping  head,  in  whom  the  churches  dare 
not  and  ought  not  to  unite.  Whereas  Jesus  Christ  is 
beyond  controversy  the  just  and  lawful  head  of  the 
church. 

13.  Your  agreement  and  unity  are  with  none  but  your 
own  sect:  and  is  this  so  great  a  matter  to  boast  of?  You 
divide   yourselves    from  the  catholic   church,  and   cast 


JUOCLINO.  03 

tlicMu  oft' as  heretics,  or  scliisniritics  ;  and  llioii  boast  of  a 
unity  anioni;  yourselves.  If  you  nia<^nity  your  unity 
from  tiie  <2^reatness  of  your  number  tiiat  aLn'CM,',  tlic  (jJreek 
church  also  is  lunnerous  :  and  yet  in  this  we  far  exceed 
you.  For  tiie  true  catiiolic  is  in  union  witii  all  tlic  mem- 
bers of  Christ  on  eartli.  We  lay  our  unity  on  the  es- 
sentials of  ciu-istianity,  and  so  are  united  witii  all  true 
Cinistians  in  the  world  ;  even  with  many  of  them  that 
reproach  us  :  when  you  laying  your  unity  on  many  doubt- 
ful points,  wliich  you  know  not  what  yourselves,  can 
extend  it  no  farther  than  to  your  sect.  Which  is  the 
more  notable  and  glorious  unity  1  to  be  united  to  the  tru- 
ly catholic  body,  containinff  all  true  Christians  in  the 
world,  or  to  be  at  unity  with  a  sect,  which  is  the  lesser 
and  more  corrupted  part  of  the  church? 

14.  With  what  face  can  Papists  dory  in  their  unity, 
that  are  the  greatest  dividers  of  the  church  on  earth? 
Who  is  it  that  condemneth  the  greatest  part  of  the  church, 
and  prosecuteth  that  condemnation  with  fire  and  sword, 
or  so  much  vehemence,  as  the  Papists  do  ?  when  they 
have  most  audacious!}^  divided  themselves  from  all  oth- 
ers, and  arrogated  the  title  of  catholics  to  themselves, 
they  call  this  abominable  schism  by  the  name  of  unity. 
If  you  say  that  the  reformers  have  divided  themselves 
from  others  :  I  answer,  not  as  from  heretics,  or  no  mem- 
bers of  the  same  body  with  us,  as  you  do  :  but  only 
from  unsound  brethren  :  and  therefore  properly  we  are 
not  divided  from  th'^m,  but  only  from  th'ir  mistakes. 
We  think  it  not  lawful  to  join  with  the  dearest  brethren 
in  sinning,  or  in  that  worship,  by  personal  local  com- 
munion, where  we  cannot  keep  our  innocency.  But  we 
hold  the  the  unity  of  the  spirit  with  them  in  the  bond  of 
peace :  and  are  one  with  them  in  all  the  substance  of 
Christianity,  and  holy  worship.  Even  where  distance  of 
place,  or  circumstantial  dilferences  keep  us  from  com- 
munion in  the  same  asseml)lies  ;  yet  our  several  assem- 
blies have  communion  in  faith,  and  love,  and  the  sub- 
stance of  worship  as  to  the  kind  :  so  that  our  division 
from  other  Christians  is  nothing  to  the  Papists. 

15.  But  when  any  difier  from  us  in  any  point  essen- 
tial to  Christianity,  they  are  none  of  us,  nor  owned  by  us  ; 
^nd  therefore  you  cannot  say  that  we  are  at  difterenc^ 


94  JESUIT 

among  ourselves,  because  some  apostates  have  fallen  off 
from  us.  You  will  not  allow  us  to  say,  you  have  many 
sects,  because  some  of  you  have  turned  socinians,  or  be- 
cause thousands  of  yours  have  turned  to  the  reformers,  in 
the  days  of  Luther,  Calvin,  6cc.  And  why  then  should 
those  sects  be  numbered  with  those  that  are  not  of  us, 
but  went  out  from  us  ?  If  men  turn  infidels,  ifcc,  they 
are  not  of  us  no  more  than  of  you.  If  you  say  that  we 
bred  them  :  I  answer  no  more  than  you  breed  them, 
when  they  turn  to  the  same  sects  from  you  :  and  no 
more  than  you  bred  the  Lutherans.  The}^  went  out 
from  you  and  yet  you  bred  them  not  :  but  on  the  other 
side,  you  cherish  those  as  part  of  your  church,  who 
differ  from  you  in  your  fundamentals  ;  so  that  the  Pope 
dare  not  unchurch  or  disown  them. 

16.  Our  unity  is  in  positives,  and  theirs  is  in  nega- 
tives. Ours  is  a  unity  in  faitii,  and  theirs  is  in  not  be- 
lieving the  contrary.  Dead  men  have  a  fuller  unity  in 
the  grave  than  Papists  have.  White's  "Way  to  the  true 
chuixh."  Sect.  53. 

17.  Our  union  is  divine,  having  a  divine  head  and 
centre,  and  divine  doctrine  and  law  in  which  we  agree. 
But  the  Papists'  is  human,  having  a  carnal  head  and  cen- 
tre, and  human  decrees  and  canons  for  its  matter  and  rule. 

18.  They  have  not  so  sure  a  means  of  retaining  men 
in  their  unity  as  wo  have:  for  where  one  hath  forsaken 
our  unity  and  communion,  hundreds  if  not  thousands, 
have  forsaken  theirs  ;  as  France,  Belgium,  Germany, 
Sweden,  Denmark,  Poland,  Hungary,  Transylvania, 
England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  «Slc.  can  witness :  and  if 
themselves  might  be  believed,  the  Greek  church,  and  all, 
or  almost  all  the  Christians  else  in  the  world  have  gone 
from  their  unity.  Yet  will  thjsy  glory  in  the  effectual- 
ness  of  their  means  of  unity  ?  VVhy  then  did  they  not 
retain  all  those  nations  in  their  unity  ? 

19.  They  have  very  little  religious  unity  at  all  among 
them  ;  for  force  and  terror  keep  men  in  their  church. 
Who  can  tell  under  such  violence  how  many  stick  to 
them  in  conscience  and  willingly  ?  He  that  will  forsake 
their  religion  in  Spain  is  tormented  and  burnt  at  a  stake, 
and  in  other  countries  where  they  have  full  power,  he 
niust  be  at  least  undone.     So  that  theirs  is  a  unity  of 


ju6gli^g.  05 

bodies  more  than  of  minds:  and  tiieir  union  is  jiot  pro- 
cured by  the  Pope  as  Pope;  but  by  tlio  temporal  sword, 
which  the  Pope  iiatli  usurped  over  some  countries,  and 
wiiich  dehided  princes  use  by  his  persuasion  in  other 
countries.  Wiiat  a  jugiillng  deceit  tlien  is  this,  to  [)er- 
suade  poor  souls,  that  the  only  way  to  unity  is  to  cen- 
tre in  the  Pope  of  Rome,  as  the  most  eflectual  means  of 
ending  difl'eronces  !  when  in  the  mean  time  they  make 
so  little  use  of  it,  and  place  so  little  confidence  in  it 
themselves,  but  uphold  their  unity  by  tiie  magistrate'' s 
sword?  Besides  that  force,  it  is  tiie  riches  and  j)refer- 
ment  of  their  clergy,  with  their  imnuinity  from  secular 
])Ower,  and  the  like,  that  is  the  means  of  their  unity. 
But  it  is  the  light  of  Holy  Scripture  opened  by  a  faithful 
ministry,  and  countenanced  by  Christian  magistracy 
without  tyranny,  tiiat  is  our  means  of  unit}'. 

If  the  Papal  headship  be  so  effectual  a  means  of  unity 
as  they  pretend,  and  if  they  are  so  much  of  a  mind  as 
they  say,  let  them  give  us  leave  to  preach  tux-lve  months 
in  Spain  and  Italy  if  they  dare  :  or  let  them  give  men 
leave  without  fire  or  sword  to  choose  their  religion. 

20.  After  all  their  tyranny,  they  have  more  difference 
among  themselves  than  we  have,  or  than  all  the  Chris- 
tians in  the  world.  To  hide  the  infamy  of  ilieir  differ- 
ences, they  tolerate  them,  and  extenuate  them.  For 
differences  in  discij)line,  and  order  of  worship,  they  al- 
low abundance  of  sects  called  orders,  that  men  and  wo- 
men may  chose  which  they  please.  The  voluminous 
differences  of  their  schoolmen,  casuists  and  commenta- 
tors, they  say  are  not  in  matters  of  faith.  But  call 
them  what  you  will,  they  are  greater  differences  than 
are  with  us.  Read  "The  Mystery  of  Jesuitism,"  and  take 
notice  of  the  differences  between  the  Jesuits  and  the 
Janscnians. 

Filiutius  the  Jesuit  holds,  that  "if  a  man  have  purpose- 
ly wearied  himself  with  satisfying  a  prostitute,  he  may 
be  dispensed  with  from  fasting  on  a  fasting  day,  and  he 
is  not  obliged  to  fast."     The  Jansenians  think  otherwise. 

The  Jesuits  Basilius,  Pontius,  and  Bauny  teach,  that  "a 
man  may  seek  an  opportunity  of  wilfully  sinning,  when 
the  spiritual  or  temporal  concernment  of  ourselves  or  our 
neighbors  inclineth  him  thereto."  The  Jansenists  think 
the  contrary. 


96  iEstiT 

Kman.  Sa  the  Jesuit  liolds,  that  "a  man  may  do  what 
lie  conceives  lawful  according  to  a  probable  opinion, 
though  the  contrary  be  the  more  certain  :  and  for  this 
the  opinion  of  one  doctor  is  sufficient."  Filiutius  the 
Jesuit  held,  "that  it  is  lawful  to  follow  the  least 
probable  opinion,  though  it  be  less  certain;  and  that 
this  is  the  common  opinion  of  modern  authors."  The 
Jansenists  are  against  it. 

Layman  the  Jesuit  holds,  that  "if  it  be  more  favora- 
ble to  them  that  ask  advice  of  him,  and  more  desired, 
it  is  prudence  to  give  them  such  advice  as  is  held  pro- 
bable by  8ome  knowing  person,  though  he  himself  be 
convinced  that  it  is  absolutely  false,"  The  Jansenists 
are  against  this. 

Bauny  the  Jesuit  holds,  "that  when  the  penitent  fol- 
lows a  probable  opinion,  the  confessor  is  bound  to  ab- 
solve him,  though  his  judgment  be  contrary  to  that  of 
the  penitent :  and  that  he  sins  mortally  if  he  deny  him 
absolution."     The  Jansenists  deny  this. 

Reginald  and  Cellot  hold,  that  "the  modern  casuists 
in  questions  of  morality  are  to  be  preferred  hefore  the 
ancient  fathers,  though  they  were  nearer  the  apostles' 
times,"     The  Jansenists  think  otherwise. 

Pope  Gregory  XIV.  declared  that  murderers  are  un- 
worthy to  have  sanctuary  in  churches.  But  the  Jesuits 
and  Jansenists  agree  not  wlio  are  the  murderers.  The  29 
Jesuits  in  their  Praxis  p.  GOO.  by  murderers  understand, 
"those  who  have  taken  money  to  kill  one  treacherously: 
and  that  those  who  kill  without  receiving  any  reward, 
but  do  it  only  to  oblige  their  friends,  are  not  called  mur- 
derers." The  Jansenists  think  otherwise.  No  marvel 
if  you  cannot  understand  the  Scripture  without  a  judge, 
when  you  cannot  understand  your  judge,  what  he  means 
by  a  murderer.  Crashaw's  "Religion  of  Rome  as  bad 
as  ever." 

Vasquez  the  Jesuit  saith,  "that  in  this  question,  rich 
men  are  obliged  to  give  alms  out  of  their  superfluity  ; 
though  the  atTumative  he  true,  yet  it  will  seldom  or  nev- 
er happen,  that  it  is  obligatory  in  point  of  practice."  The 
Jansenists  think  otherwise. 

Valentia  the  Jesuit,  and  Tanner  hold,  that  "if  a  man 
give  money  not  as  the  price  of  a  benefice,  but  as  a  motive 


JUOGLiNa.  97 

to  resign  it,  it  is  not  simony,  thougli  he  that  resigns  do 
look  at  the  money  as  his  principal  end."  Tlio  Jan- 
scnists  think  otherwise. 

Caspar  Ilurtado  saith,  "that  an  incumbent  may  with- 
out mortal  sin  wish  the  death  of  him  that  hath  a  jK^nsion 
out  ot' his  living,  and  a  son  his  father's  death  ;  and  may 
rejoice  when  it  happens,  so  it  proceeded  only  from  a 
consideration  of  the  advantage  accruing  to  him  thereby, 
and  not  out  of  any  personal  haired."  The  Jansenists 
believe  it  not. 

Layman  the  Jesuit,  and  Peter  Ilurtado  think,  that  a 
man  may  lawfully  fight  a  duel,  accepting  the  challenge  to 
defend  his  honor  or  estate.  The  Jansenists  think  other- 
wise. 

Sanchez  and  Navarrus  allow  a  man  "to  murder  his 
adversary  secretly,  or  despatch  him  at  unawares  to  avoid 
the  danger  of  a  duel."  Molina  thinks  "you  may  kill  one 
that  wrongfully  informs  against  us  in  any  court."  Regi- 
naldus  ;  "that  you  may  kill  the  false  witness  which  the 
prosecutor  brings."  Tannerus  and  Emanuel  Sa,  that 
"you  may  kill  both  witness  and  judg^  which  conspire 
the  death  of  an  innocent  person."  So  think  not  the  Jan- 
senists. 

Henriquez  saith,  "one  man  may  kill  another  who 
hath  given  him  a  box  on  the  ear,  though  he  run  away 
tor  it,  provided  he  do  it  not  out  of  hatred  or  revenge, 
and  that  by  that  means  a  gap  be  open  for  excessive  mur- 
der, destructive  to  the  state.  And  the  reason  is,  a  man 
may  as  well  do  it  in  pursuance  of  his  reputation,  as  his 
goods  ;  and  he  that  hath  had  a  box  on  the  ear  is  accoun- 
ted dishonorable  tUl  he  hath  killed  his  enemy."  Azorius 
saith,  "is  it  lawful  for  a  person  of  quality  to  kill  one  that 
would  give  him  a  box  on  the  ear,  or  a  bang  with  a  stick  ? 
Some  say  not.  But  others  affirm  it  lawful,  and  for  my 
part  I  think  it  probable,  when  it  cannot  be  avoided 
otherwise :  for  if  it  were  not,  the  reputation  of  innocent 
persons  were  still  exposed  to  the  insolency  of  the  ma- 
licious." Many  others  are  of  the  same  mind,  insomuch 
that  Lessius  saith,  "it  is  lawful,  by  the  consent  of  all 
casuists,  to  kill  him  that  would  give  a  box  on  the  ear,  or 
a  blow  with  a  stick,  when  a  man  cannot  otherwise  avoid 
it."     Baldellus  saith,  "it  is  lawful  to  kill  him  that  saith 

9 


98  JESUIT 

to  you,  thou  liest,  if  a  man  cannot  right  himself  other- 
-Hvise/'  Lessius  saith,  'Mf  you  endeavor  to  ruin  my  rep- 
utation by  opprobrious  speeches  before  persons  of  hon- 
or, and  I  cannot  avoid  them  otherwise  than  by  killing 
you,  may  I  do  it  i*  I  may;  though  the  crime  you  lay 
to  my  charge  be  such  as  I  am  really  guilty  of,  it  being 
supposed  to  have  been  so  secretly  committed,  that  you 
cannot  discover  it  by  ways  of  justice.  It  is  proved,  if 
when  you  would  take  away  my  reputation  by  giving  me 
a  box  on  the  ear,  it  is  in  my  power  to  prevent  it  by  force 
of  arms,  the  same  defence  is  certainly  lawful,  when  you 
would  do  me  the  same  injury  with  your  tongue.  Besides, 
a  man  may  avoid  the  affront  of  those  whose  ill  language 
he  cannot  hinder.  In  a  word,  honor  is  more  precious 
than  life,  but  a  man  may  kill  in  defence  of  his  life,  e?'go, 
he  may  kill  in  defence  of  his  honor."  The  Jansenists 
are  against  all  this. 

Escobar  saith,  that  "regularly  it  is  lawful  to  kill  a  man 
for  the  value  of  a  crown."  according  to  Molina.  Ami- 
cus saith,  "it  is  lawful  for  a  churchman  or  a  religious 
man  to  kill  a  detractor  that  threatens  to  divulge  the  scan- 
dalous crimes  of  his  community  or  himself,  when  there 
is  no  other  means  left  to  hinder  him  from  doing  it,  as  if 
he  be  ready  to  scatter  his  calumnies,  if  not  suddenly 
despatched  out  of  the  way."  Caramavel  in  his  funda- 
mental theology  takes  it  for  certain,  that  "a  priest  not 
only  may  kill  a  detractor  on  certain  occasions,  but  some- 
times ought  to  do  it."  The  Jansenists  believe  none  of 
this. 

You  may  read  in  "the  Mystery  of  Jesuitism,"  a  volume 
of  such  passages  of  the  Jesuits,  allowing  men  to  give  and 
receive  the  sacrament  when  they  come  that  day  from 
adultery,  and  allowing  a  man  to  eat  and  drink  as  much 
as  he  can  with  his  health :  and  discharging  men  from  a 
necessity  of  loving  God,  unles  it  be  once  in  their  lives, 
or  as  others  say  upon  holy-days,  or  as  Hurtado  de  Men- 
doza,  once  a  year,  or  as  Conink,  once  in  three  or  four 
years,  or  a  sHenriquez,  once  in  five  years,  or  as  Anthony 
Sirmond,  not  at  all,  so  we  do  not  hate  him,  and  do  obey 
his  other  commands. 

Are  all  those  differences  among  the  Papists  so  small 
as  to  be  no  matters  of  faith  ?     Judge  then  whether  Pa- 


3  uccriNc.  99 

pi.sts  or  tho  reform.;;!  arc   more   at  unity  among  tliem- 
selves. 

Altliough  the  loving  of  God,  the  avoiding  of  murder, 
brihcry,  and  the  like,  are  no  matter  of  faith  at  Rome, 
3'ct  I  desire  to  know  whothi^r  tlic  Holy  Scripture  be  mat- 
ter of  faith  or  not?  I'lify  dare  not  deny  but  it  is.  What 
is  the  Scripture,  but  tho  words  and  the  sense  or  matter'? 
Are  the  Papists  agreed  among  th.emselves  about  either 
of  those?  No:  for  some  of  the  best  learned  of  them 
have  stood  for  the  preeminence  of  the  Hebrew  and 
Greek  texts :  and  others,  and  the  most  for  the  vulgar  Lat- 
in. But  that  vulgar  Latin  translation  hath  been  often 
altered  by  them.  After  many  others.  Pope  Sixtus  V. 
made  it  so  complete,  that  the  church  was  required  to  use 
his  edition  ;  yet  after  him  came  Pope  Clement  VIII. 
and  mended  it  in  many  thousand  places,  and  imposed 
that  upon  the  church  ;  which  of  those  Popes  were  infal- 
lible ]     They  much  differ  in  their  translations. 

For  tho  sense  of  Scripture  although  men  swear  to  take 
the  Scriptures  in  the  sense  of  the  church,  yet  will  not 
any  Pope  or  council  to  this  day,  teli  us  the  sense  of  them, 
either  by  giving  us  an  infallible  commentary,  or  by  de- 
ciding the  many  thousand  differences  that  are  among 
their  commentators.  Do  not  all  these  commentators 
forswear  themselves,  those  who  lived  since  the  council 
of  Trent,  having  sworn  to  expound  Scripture  in  the  sense 
of  the  church,  and  only  according  to  the  unanimous  con- 
sent of  the  fathers  1  Why  doth  not  the  Pope  decide 
these  controversies?  seeing  he  is  a  judge  of  controversies 
to  keep  them  all  of  a  mind  1 

But  perhaps  they  will  say  ;  "all  those  Scriptures  are 
not  matters  of  faith."  WMicre  are  we  then  1  what  is 
matter  of  faith  if  Scripture  be  not?  If  all  be  not,  how 
shall  we  know  which  is  ?  Is  no  one  of  all  those  many 
hundred  or  thousand  texts  which  your  commentators  dif- 
fer about  any  matter  of  faith  1  If  not,  then  you  have  no 
faith.  If  it  be,  then  the  Papists  differ  amon^  themselves 
in  matters  of  faith.  James  Bellum  Papale,  vel  Con- 
cordia  Discors. 


100  JESUIT 


CHAPTER     VII. 

Principles  of  Faith. 

Thus  you  may  discern  how  to  deal  with  them,  tohen 
thei/  industrioiisli/  confound  the  essentials  and  the  inte- 
gral parts  of  our  jaith  :  for  this  is  another  of  their  jug- 
lings. 

They  cannot  endure  to  hear  us  distinguish  tlie  funda- 
mentals, that  is  the  essentials  of  our  religion  from  the 
rest :  and  therefore  they  call  for  a  catalogue  of  our  fun- 
damentals :  and  would  persuade  us  that  whatsoever  is 
matter  of  faith,  is  of  no  necessity  to  salvation  to  be  believ- 
ed, and  those  are  damnable  heretics  that  deny  them,  and 
therefore  we  must  not  make  any  such  difference.  Their 
design  in  this  is  to  persuade  people  that  the  world  must 
be  wholly  of  their  mind  in  matters  of  faith,  or  else  they 
cannot  be  saved.  And  by  this  trick  they  would  prove 
that  the  Protestants  and  many  other  churches  are  all 
heretics,  and  therefore  have  no  place  in  general  councils, 
and  are  no  parts  of  the  catholic  church. 

We  desire  the  Papists  to  tell  us  whether  Christianity 
be  any  thing  or  nothing  ?  If  any  thing,  it  hath  its  es- 
sence. Whether  this  essence  of  Christianity  be  know- 
able  or  not  ?  If  not,  then  they  cannot  know  a  Chris- 
tian from  another  :  and  they  cannot  know  the  church 
from  other  societies.  If  it  be  knowable,  then  its  essence 
must  needs  be  knowable.  Whether  all  true  Christians 
in  the  world  are  of  the  same  stature  or  degree  of  knowl- 
edge and  explicit  belief?  If  they  be,  then  there  is  no 
difl'erence  between  fathers  and  babes,  strong  and  weak, 
priest  and  people  ;  and  then  the  Jesuits  have  no  more 
knowledge  or  faith  than  tlic  simplest  woman  of  their 
church.  But  if  there  be  a  diiference,  whether  the  es- 
sence of  Christianity  be  varied  according  to  those  degrees. 
If  so,  then  there  are  as  many  sorts  of  Christianity  in  the 
world,  as  there  be  degrees  of  faith.  If  not,  then  the  es- 
sence of  Christianity  is  distinguishable  from  the  integrity 
or  superadded  degrees,  whicli  is  the  thing  that  we 
contend  for.  Whether  the  apostles  did  not  go  on  to 
teach  their  people  more,   after  they   had    made  them 


JUOOLINO  101 

Cliristians,  in  a  state  of  salvation?  And  whetlier  the 
priests,  friars,  and  Jesuits  will  give  men  uj),  and  teach 
them  nothiiii^  more  wiien  they  have  made  them  Chris- 
tians. I  know  they  will  say,  there  is  more  to  he  taught. 
If  so,  then  the  essentials  of  Christianity  are  distinguish- 
ahle  from  the  integrals  or  degrees.  We  would  know 
how  they  will  understand,  Ileb.  v.  10,  11,  12,  14.  and 
vi.  1,  2.  "  For  when  for  the  time  ye  ought  to  he  teachers, 
ye  have  need  that  one  teach  you  again  which  he  the  first 
principles  of  the  oracles  of  God,  and  ar^  become  such 
as  have  need  of  milk,  and  not  of  strong  meat.  For  ev- 
ery one  that  useth  milk  is  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righte- 
ousness, for  he  is  a  babe.  But  strong  meat  belongeth  to 
them  that  are  full  of  age,  who  by  reason  of  use  have 
their  senses  exercised  to  discern  good  and  evil :  therefore 
leaving  the  pri!ici})les  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us  go 
on  to  perfection,  not  laying  again  the  foundation,  &.c." 
Tell  us  whether  the  apostle  do  not  here  distinguish  be- 
tween babes  and  strong  men;  milk  and  strong  meat; 
the  principles  or  foundation  or  perfection  1  Whether  all 
that  is  revealed  by  God  be  of  absolute  necessity  to  every 
man's  salvation  that  do  or  may  hear  it  ?  If  so,  then  no 
man  can  be  saved  that  knoweth  not  all  that  God  hath 
revealed  ;  and  then  no  one  in  the  world  can  be  saved  : 
for  here  we  know  but  in  part.  Their  own  commenta- 
tors diller  about  the  word  of  God,  wiiicli  sheweth  that 
they  are  imperfect  in  the  knowledge  of  its  senses.  The 
Pope  knows  it  not,  or  else  he  is  shamefully  to  blame, 
that  he  will  not  toll  it  the  world,  and  reconcile  his  com- 
mentators and  disputers.  But  if  all  revealed  be  not  of  ab- 
solute necessity,  then  we  may  have  leave  to  distinguish 
between  points  absolutely  necessary,  and  the  rest. 
Whether  all  shall  be  damned,  that  know  not  as  much  as  the 
most  learned  and  wise  \  If  not,  then  still  we  may  have 
leave  to  distinguish; — Whether  any  ignorance  or  error 
that  is  culpable,  will  stand  with  charity  and  salvation  1 
If  not,  then  who  shall  be  saved  %  If  so,  then  we  may 
still  distinguish  the  points  of  absolute  necessity  from  the 
rest.  Whetlier  the  whole  Holy  Scripture  be  the  word  of 
God  \  If  so,  then  whether  we  ought  not  to  believe  it  all 
as  far  as  we  can  understand  it  1  And  whether  it  be  not 
all  matter  of  fai^h  ?     If  not  they  must  tell  us,  what  part  of 

9* 


102  jEstJir 

God's  word  is  to  be  believed,  and  what  not.  If  so ;  tfieli 
dertainly  men  may  err  in  points  of  faith,  and  yet  have 
charity,  and  be  saved  :  as  their  disas^reeinsf  commenta- 
tors,  casuists,  and  schoohiien  do.  Whether  the  matters 
that  their  divines  aie  disagreed  in,  be  revealed  by  God, 
or  things  unrevcalcd  ?  If  not  revealed,  do  they  not  de- 
serve to  be  kicked  out  of  the  world,  for  troubling  the 
world  so  v/ith  unrcvealcd  tilings  1  If  they  be  revealed, 
arc  they  not  revealed  to  be  believed,  and  so  are  of  faith? 
Whether  there  be  not  some  things  essential  to  true  ohe^ 
(Hence,  and  some  things  not  esscntian  If  not,  then  no 
sinner  hath  sincere  obedience,  and  can  be  saved  :  if  so  ; 
then  why  may  not  the  same  be  said  of  faith  ?  Whether 
they  require  any  profession  of  the  faith  or  not  ?  If  the}'  do, 
then  what  is  that  profession  7  Is  it  a  profession  of  every 
particular  truth  that  God  hath  revealed  to  be  believed? 
Or  is  it  a  profession  of  some  particular  truths  only  ?  If 
of  some  only,  why  of  those  more  than  the  rest,  if  they  be 
not  the  essentials  distinguishable  from  the  rest  1  What 
is  the  use  of  the  church'^s  creed,  and  why  tliey  have  used 
frequently  to  make  confession  of  their  faith  ?  Was  it 
not  the  whole  fahh  essential  to  Christianity  which  they 
confessed  ?  If  not  then  it  was  not  fit  to  be  the  badge  of 
the  church;  or  of  the  orthodox:  if  so,  then  it  seems  those 
creeds  had  in  them  the  essentials  distinguished  from  the 
rest.  Whether  every  thing  delivered  or  defined  by  any 
general  council,  be  of  such  necessity  to  salvation,  that 
all  must  explicitly  believe  them  all,  that  will  be  saved  ? 
It  so,  then  whether  any  Papist  can  be  saved,  seeincp  they 
understand  them  not  all  ?  .  If  not,  then  a  distiTiction 
must  be  made.  How  can  the}'  countenance  ignorance 
so  much  as  they  do,  if  all  things  revealed  be  of  equal 
necessity  to  salvation.  What  mean  they  to  distino-uish 
of  implicit  and  explicit  faith  ?  Is  it  enough  to  believe  as 
the  church  believes,  and  not  know  what  in  any  particu- 
lar ?  then  it  is  not  necess^ary  to  salvation  to  believe  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  or  of  man,  or  the  life  to  come. 
For  a  man  may  believe  that  the  church  is  in  the  rio-ht, 
and  yet  not  know  that  it  holdeth  any  of  these.  Is  it 
enough  to  believe  the  formal  object  of  faith,  which  with 
us  is  God's  veracity,  without  the  material  ?  Or  is  it 
enough   to  remain   infidels,  and    only  believe   that  the 


JUOOLING.  103 

church  arc  true  believers  ?     If  you  hold  to  this,  you  make 
no  act  of  faith,  but  one,   the  believing  that  the  church, 
that  is,  the  Pope  or  council    are  true   believers,  to  be  of 
necessity  to  salvation.      Hut  if  there  be  someiiiini^  that  is 
necessary  to  be  actually,  that  is  ex|)licitly,  believed,  then 
nuist  not  that  be  distmguished  from  the  rest  and  made 
known?     Whence  is  it  that  you  denominate  men  be- 
lievers with  you  .''     Is  it  from  a  positive   faith,  or  for  not 
holding   the  contrary  ?     If  the   latter,   then  stones,  and 
beasts,  and  pagans,  and   their  infants  may  be  believers. 
If  the  former,  then  the  positive  faith  whence  all  believ- 
ers are  denominated  must  be  known.     Is  not  that  truth 
faitli  and  all  that  is  essential  to  Christianity,  which  doth 
consist  with  saving  grace,  or  to  nse  your  phrase,  with  true 
charily?     If  not,  then  either  infidels  and  no  Christians 
may  have  true  charity,  or  else  true  charity  may  be  in 
the   unjustified,  or  both.      If  then  men  of  lower  know- 
ledge and  faith  than  doctors,  may  have  true  charity;  and 
therefore  true  faith.     Bellarmin  often  distinguislieth  be- 
tween the  points  that  all  must  of  necessity  explicitly  be- 
lieve, and  the  rest,     Suarez  in  3.  part.  Thorn.  Disp.  43. 
Sect.  4.  saith  of  the  article  of   Christ's  descending  into 
hell — "  If  by  an  article  of  faith  we  understand  a  truth 
which  all  the  faithful  are   bound   explicitly  to  know  and 
believe,   so  I  do   not  think  it   necessary  to  reckon  this 
among  the  articles  of  faith,  because  it  is  not   altogether 
necessary  for  all  men."     Here  Suazer.  distinguislieth  be- 
tween articles  of  necessity  to  all,  and  tliosethat  are  not: 
and  excepts  even  the  descent  into  hell  from  this  number 
of  articles  necessary  to  all. 

But  perhaps  you  will  say,  that  though  all  that  is  of 
faith  is  not  necessary  to  be  believed  explicitly  by  all, 
yet  implicitly  it  must.  That  which  you  call  implicit  be- 
lieving is  no  believing  that  point,  but  another  point:  yea 
a  point  that  doth  not  so  much  as  infer  that,  for  it  tollow- 
eth  not,  the  church  is  infallible ;  therefore  Christ  descend- 
eth  into  hell. 

We  believe  all  that  is  of  faith,  with  an  implicit  faith  as 
well  as  you :  but  it  is  an  implicit  divine  faith  and  not  human  : 
for  we  are  sure  all  that  God  saith  is  true  ;  and  his  divine 
veracity  is  the  formal  object  of  our  faith.  We  believe 
that  all  that  is  in  Scripture  is  true,  and  all  that  was  ever 
delivered  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  true. 


104  JESUIT 

But  all  that  is  of  faith  is  so  necessary,  that  it  will  not 
stand  with  salvation  to  helieve  the  contrary,  or  deny  or 
disbelieve  any  point  of  faith.  That  cannot  be  true  ;  for 
no  man  can  prove  that  a  point  may  not  be  denied  and 
disputed  against  by  a  true  believer  as  long  as  he  is  igno- 
rant tliat  it  is  true,  and  from  God  :  the  same  ignorance 
that  keeps  him  from  knowing  it,  may  cause  him  to  de- 
ny it,  and  gainsay  it.  Do  not  your  own  differing  com- 
mentators, sciioolmen  and  casuists  dispute  voluminously 
against  some  truths  of  divine  revelation?  If  you  change 
a  man's  mind  from  the  smallest  error  by  dispute,  do  you 
take  that  to  be  a  change  of  his  state  from  death  to  life  ? 
^Ena?as  Sylvius  thought  a  general  council  was  above  the 
Pope  :  but  when  he  was  Pope  Pius  II.  he  thought  the 
l*ope  above  a  general  council;  was  that  a  change  from 
death  to  life.  It  seems  by  his  bull  of  retractation,  he  thought 
so,  but  so  did  not  several  general  councils.  Was  the 
Council  of  Basil,  or  Constance,  or  Pisa  in  a  state  of  death 
and  damnation  for  believing  the  Pope  to  be  subject  to  a 
general  council  ?  or  was  the  council  at  Lateran  in  a  state 
of  death  for  holding  the  contrary  1  Must  citJicr  Pope  John 
or  Pope  Nicholas  be  damned  because  of  the  contrariety 
of  their  decrees  1  If  the  council  of  Tolet  ordain  that  he 
thai  hath  a  concubine  instead  of  a  wife,  shall  not  be 
kept  from  the  sacrament,  doth  it  prove  them  all  in  a 
state  of  death  ]  If  Bellarmin  confess  that  the  sixth  gen- 
eral council  of  Constantinople  have  many  errors,  doth  it 
follow  that  they  were  in  a  damnable  state?  If  the  second 
council  at  -Sice  maintain  the  corporeity  of  Angels,  and 
the  lirst  council  at  Lateran  maintain  the  contrary,  doth  ii 
follow  that  one  of  them  was  in  a  state  of  death  1  I  think 
!iot :  though  it  proves  a  general  council  fallible,  when 
approved  by  the  Pope,  and  therefore  Popery  a  deceit. 
Bellarmin  tells  us  the  change  of  his  own  mind. 

Th.e  retractations  of  Austin  tell  us  of  the  cliange  of  his 
mind  in  many  things:  and  yet  it  lolloweth  not  that  he 
was  in  a  state  of  death  and  unjustified  before. 

But  all  that  is  of  faith  is  of  necessity  to  the  salvation 
of  some,  though  not  all.  If  that  be  granted,  yet  you 
must  distinguish  between  points  necessary  to  be  believed 
by  all.  But  in  what  case  is  it  that  you  n^.ean,  that  oth- 
er points  are  of  necessity  to  some  ?     Is  it  to  those  some 


-    JUGGLING.  105 

that  know  thorn  to  be  ot*  divine  revelation  ?  But  lliat  is 
not  because  the  thinLi^s  tlieuisclvcs  an.'  simply  necessary 
to  salvation  ;  hnt  because  a  belief  of  Ciod's  veracity,  and 
the  trutli  of  all  that  lie  revealetli  in  i^cneral,  is  of  neces- 
sity:  and  lie  that  believeth  tliat  God  is  true,  cannot 
chose  but  believe  ail  to  i)e  true  which  he  knows  God  re- 
vealetli. He  that  thiuketh  God  to  be  a  liar,  in  one  word, 
<loth  not  believe  his  veracity,  and  so  hath  no  divine  faith 
at  all.  Tlioreforc  you  need  not  fear  lest  any  one  should 
be  guilty  of  not  believing  that  which  they  know  is  the 
word  of  God,  but  those  that  take  God  to  be  a  liar  ;  and 
that  is  those  that  take  him  not  to  be  God,  and  so  are 
atheists.  But  still  the  thing  of  absolute  necessity  is  to 
believe  in  general  that  God  is  true  in  all  his  word  ;  and 
to  believe  the  truth  of  the  essential  points  of  Christianity 
in  particular  embracing  the  good  propounded  in  them. 
Now  it  is  true  that  secondarily  all  known  truths  are  of 
necessity,  to  be  believed,  because  else  our  general  be- 
lief of  God's  veracity  is  not  sincere.  But  yet  we  must 
say  that  antecedently  even  to  that  person,  those  super- 
added truths  were  not  of  necessity  to  his  salvation  to  be 
believed,  because  they  were  not  of  such  necessity  to 
bo  known  ;  and  it'  they  had  not  been  known,  there  had 
not  been  such  necessity  of  believing  them. 

But  if  you  say,  thai  all  were  obliged  to  know  them,  or 
that  had  opportunity,  or  the  revelation  of  the  trutli,  and 
yet  did  not,  and  thereupon  deny  them  culpably,  are  in  a 
state  of  death:  I  deny  that,  and  shall  prove  it  false.  A 
wilful  refusing  the  light,  because  men  love  darkness  rath- 
er than  light,  is  a  certain  sign  of  a  graceless  wretch. 
But  every  culpable  ignorance  and  unbelief  is  not  damn- 
ing ignorance  or  unbelief.  Otherwise  no  man  should 
be  saved  :  for  no  man  is  void  of  culpable  ignorance,  and 
consequently  of  culpable  unbelief.  Had  we  never  been 
wanting  in  the  use  of  means,  there  is  no  man  but  might 
have  known  more  than  he  doth.  Is  there  any  one  that 
dare  refuse  to  ask  God  forgiveness  of  ignorance,  unbelief, 
or  the  negligence  that  is  the  culpable  cause  of  them,  or 
that  dare  say,  you  need  no  pardon  of  them  ?  If  you 
plead  for  venial  sin,  how  can  you  deny  a  venial  unbelief, 
upon  venial  ignorance  ?  But  then  learn  more  piety,  than 
to  say  that  your  venial  unbelief  or  sin  is  no  sin,  save  as 


106  JESUIT 

analogically  so  called  ;  or  that  it  deserves  a  pardon,  or 
deserves  not  everlasting  punishment.  But  if  you  call  it 
venial,  because  being  consistent  with  the  true  love  of 
God  and  habitual  holiness,  and  saving  faith,  the  law  of 
grace  doth  pardon  it,  and  not  condemn  men  for  it ;  thus 
we  would  agree  with  you  that  lliere  is  venial  sin  ;  but 
then  there  is  venial  unbelief. 

We  easily  prove  this  from  the  law  of  God.  It  is  the 
nature  of  the  preceptive  part  to  constitute  duty  only, 
and  the  violation  of  that  is  sin  :  but  it  is  the  sanction, 
the  promise  and  threatening  that  determines  the  reward 
and  penalty.  -» Now  it  is  only  the  old  law  of  works  that 
makes  the  threatening  as  large  as  the  prohibition,  con- 
demning man  for  every  sin :  but  so  doth  not  the  law  of 
grace.  The  precept  still  commandeth  per  feet  obedience, 
and  so  makes  it  a  duty  ;  but  the  promise  maketh  not 
perfect  obedience  the  condition  of  salvation;  but  faith, 
repentance,  and  sincere  obedience,  though  imperfect. 
The  law  of  nature  still  makes  everlasting  death  due  to 
every  sin :  but  it  is  such  a  due  as  hath  a  remedy  at  hand 
provided  and  offered  in  the  gospel ;  and  is  actually  rem- 
edied to  all  true  believers.  So  that  as  it  is  not  every 
sin  that  will  damn  us,  though  damnation  be  due  to  it, 
because  we  have  a  present  remedy ;  so  it  is  not  very 
culpable  ignorance  or  unbelief  that  will  damn  us,  though 
it  deserve  damnation  ;  because  the  gospel  doth  not  only 
not  damn  us  for  it,  but  pardons  it,  by  acquitting  us  from 
the  condemnation  of  the  law.  All  this  may  teach  you, 
not  only  to  mend  your  abominable  doctrine  about  mortal 
and  venial  sin ;  but  also  to  discern  the  reason  why  a 
man  may  deny  some  points  of  faith  that  are  not  of  the 
essence  of  Christianit}- ,  and  yet  not  be  damned  for  it ; 
because  the  law  of  grace  doth  not  condemn  him  for  it, 
thouirh  he  be  cul[)able,  for  the  law  of  grace  may  com- 
mand further  tlian  it  premptorily  condemneth  in  case  of 
disobedience.  It  is  the  promise  that  makes  faith  the 
condition  of  life,  though  it  bo  the  prece  it  that  makes  it 
a  duty.  Now  it  saveth  not  as  a  performed  duty  directlv, 
because  the  precept  gives  not  the  reward,  but  as  a  per- 
formed condition.  Therefore  unbelief  condemneth  not 
effectually  as  a  mere  sin  directly,  but  as  such  a  sin  as  is 
the  violation  of  nonperformance  of  that  condition. 


jucoLiNa.  107 

CHAP  ti:r    vttt. 

Decision  of  Conlrcversits. 

Anotlior  of  their  juffirlings  is,  to  extol  the  jiulgmcni 
of  the  catholic  church  (ts  that  irhich  must  be  the  ground 
of  faith,  and  the  decider  of  all  controversies.  To  tliis 
end  they  plead  against  the  sufficiency  of  Scripture, 
and  l)end  all  the  force  of  tiieir  arguings  and  designs,  as 
if  all  their  hope  lay  in  this  point,  and  as  if  it  were  grant- 
ed that  we  arc  lost,  if  the  catholic  church  he  admitted  to 
be  the  judge.  Hence  it  is  that  they  cry  out  against  pri- 
vate faith  and  opinions,  and  calll  men  to  the  faith  of 
the  church,  and  persuade  the  poor  people,  that  the 
church  is  for  them,  and  we  are  but  branches  broken 
off. 

We  are  content  to  deal  with  them  at  their  own  weap- 
01^,  and  at  that  one  in  which  they  put  their  trust.  We 
know  that  the  true  catholic  churcli  or  any  member  of  it, 
cannot  err  in  any  of  the  essentials  of  Christianity,  for  then 
it  would  cease  to  be  the  church :  but  we  have  too  much 
reason  to  judge  that  it  is  not  free  from  error  in  lesser 
things.  Yet  in  the  main  cause  between  the  Papists  and 
us,  we  refuse  not  their  judgment.  Nay  we  turn  this 
canon  against  the  canoneers,  and  easily  prove  that  the 
Papists  cause  is  uttterly  lost,  if  the  catholic  church  be 
judge. 

But  it  is  the  ancient  church,  or  the  present  church 
that  must  decide  the  cause  ?  It  shall  be  which  you  will. 
For  the  most  ancient  church  in  the  apostles'  days,  we 
are  altogether  of  its  belief,  and  stand  to  its  decision  in 
all  things  ;  and  if  you  prove  we  mistake  them  in  any 
thing,  we  shall  gladly  receive  instruction  and  be  re- 
claimed. To  them  we  appeal  for  our  essentials 
and  integrals.  For  some  following  ages,  we  will 
be  tried  by  them  in  the  articles  of  our  faith,  and  in  the 
principal  controversies  we  have  with  the  Papists. 

But  this  will  not  serve  their  turn  :  it  is  the  present 
church  that  must  judge  or  none  :  for,  they  say,  if  the 
ancient  church  had  power,  so  hath  the  present :  and  il 
the  ancient  church  had  possession  of  the  truth,  how  shall 


108  JESUIT 

we  know  it  by  the  present  ?  We  may  know  it  by  the 
records  of  those  times  lar  surer  than  by  the  reports  of 
men  without  writing.  Controversies  on  numerous  mys- 
terious points  are  sorrily  carried  in  the  memories,  es- 
pecially of  the  most,  even  of  the  teachers ;  especially 
when  men's  memories  die  with  them,  and  they  cannot 
make  their  children  the  heirs  of  their  knowledge  or  memo- 
ries. Do  you  now  remember  what  was  done  in  the 
days  of  Ignatius,  Justin,  Cyprian,  ifcc.  that  never  saw 
them  ?  And  can  you,  that  hardly  teach  your  children 
a  long  catechism,  teach  them  to  carry  in  memory  all 
your  voluminous  councils  better  than  written  records  can 
preserve  them.  For  the  records,  one  diligent  skilful 
man  willl  know  more  than  ten  thousand  others.  Bar- 
onius,  Albaspinasus,  Petavius,  among  the  Papists,  and 
Usher,  Blondell,  Salmasius,  Gataker,  &c.  among  the 
protestants,  knew  more  of  the  mind  of  antiquity,  than 
a  whole  country  besides,  or  than  general  councils  have 
known. 

If  you  appeal  to  the  greater  number,  to  them  shall 
you  go.  You  must  be  tried  by  the  present  church  ;  then 
you  are  condemned.  Is  it  the  less  number,  or  the  great- 
er, or  the  better  that  must  be  judge?  You  will  not  say 
the  less  ;  if  you  do,  you  know  where  you  are.  If  you 
say  the  better  part  shall  be  judge  :  who  shall  be  judge 
which  is  the  better  part  ?  We  are  ready  to  prove  the 
reformed  churches  the  better  part :  and  if  we  do  not, 
we  will  give  you  the  cause.  But  will  you  appeal  to  the 
greater  part  ?  Then  you  are  lost.  The  Greeks,  Mos- 
covites,  Armenians,  Abbasines,  and  all  other  churches 
in  Asia,  Africa  and  Europe  are  far  more  than  the  Pa- 
pists ;  and  your  own  pens  and  mouths  tell  us  that  those 
are  against  you.  Many  of  them  curse  you  as  heretics 
or  schismatics  ;  the  rest  of  them  know  you  not,  or  re- 
fuse your  government.  They  all  agree  against  your 
Pope's  universal  headship  or  sovereignty,  and  so  against 
the  very  form  of  your  new  church.  So  that  the  world 
knows  the  judgment  of  the  far  g  eatest  part  of  Chris- 
tians on  earth  to  be  against  you  in  the  main.  This  you 
get  by  appealing  to  the  catholic  church. 

But  you  say,  that  all  those  are  schismatics  or  heretics, 
and  none  of  the  Catholic  Church  :  but  they  say  as  much 


JUdOLlNG.  109 

by  you;  and  how  do  you  prove  it.^  Who  shall  be 
judg-e  whether  they,  or  you  be  the  catholic  church? 
You  tell  us  of  your  succession,  and  twenty  tales  that 
are  good,  if  you  may  be  judges  yourselves ;  but  so  do 
they  say  as  much  which  is  good  if  they  be  judges. 
When  we  offer  to  dispute  our  case  with  you,  you  ask 
us  who  shall  be  judge,  and  tell  us  the  Catholic  Church 
must  be  judge.  But  who  shall  be  judge  between  you 
and  them  which  is  the  catholic  church?  You  will  not 
let  us  be  judges  in  our  own  cause,  and  why  then  should 
you?  Are  we  Protestants  the  less  number  as  to  you? 
so  are  you  to  all  the  rest  that  are  against  you.  And 
what  reason  have  we  to  let  the  less  number  judge  over 
the  greater  ?  If  still  you  say,  because  you  are  the  bet- 
ter, let  that  be  first  tried  ;  but  not  you  be  the  judges. 

So  that  the  case  is  plainly  this :  either  the  Papists 
must  stand  to  the  greater  number,  and  then  the  contro- 
versy is  at  an  end:  or  they  must  shamefully  say,  v:e 
will  not  dispute  with  you,  unless  ive  may  be  the  judges 
ourselves.  Or  else  they  must  dispute  it  equally  with 
us,  by  producing  iheir  evidence. 


CHAPTER     IX. 

^9inhiguity  of  Romunlsts  in  controversy. 

The  most  common  and  prevalent  deceit  of  Papists  is 
by  ambiguous  terms  to  deceive  those  that  cannot  force 
them  to  distinguish,  and  to  make  you  believe  they  mean 
one  thing,  when  they  mean  another,  and  to  mock  you 
icith  cloudy  loords.  Look  to  them  therefore  especially 
in  three  terms,  on  which  much  of  their  controversies 
lies;  the  words  church,  pope,  and  council.  Few  un- 
derstand what  they  mean  by  any  one  of  these  words. 

When  you  dispute  of  the  church  with  them,  agree 
first  upon  the  definition  of  church.  When  you  call 
them  to  define  it,  you  will  find  hov^  many  things  they 
call  the  church.  Sometimes  they  mean  the  whole  bod}', 
pastors  and  people :  but  more  commonly  they  mean 
only  the  pastors.     Sometimes  they  mean  the  church 

10 


ilO  JESUIT 

real :  and  sometimes  the  church  representative,  as  they 
call  it,  in  a  general  council.  But  whether  they  mean 
the  pastors  or  people,  they  exclude  all  saving  the  pope 
and  his  subjects,  and  so  by  the  church,  mean  but  a  part 
or  a  sect.  Sometimes  in  the  question  about  tradition, 
some  of  the  French  take  the  church  for  the  community, 
as  fathers  deliver  the  doctrine  of  Christ  to  their  children, 
&c.  Sometimes  they  take  it  in  its  political  sense,  for  a 
society,  consisting  of  a  visible  head  and  members  :  but 
then  they  agree  not  of  that  head,  some  setting  the  pope 
highest,  and  some  the  council.  Frequently  they  take 
the  word  church  for  the  supposed  head  alone,  as  in 
most  questions  about  infallibility,  judging  of  controver- 
sies, expounding  Scripture,  keeping  of  traditions,  defin- 
ing points  of  faith,  &c.  The}'  say,  the  church  must 
do  these :  but  commonly  they  mean  the  supposed  head. 
One  part  mean  a  general  council:  and  the  Jesuits  and 
Italians,  and  predominant  part  mean  only  the  pope. 
So  that  when  they  talk  of  the  whole  catholic  church, 
and  call  you  to  its  judgment,  and  boast  of  its  infallibili- 
ty, they  mean  all  this  while  but  one  poor  sinful  man  : 
and  such  a  man  as  sometimes  hath  been  more  unlearn- 
ed than  many  school-boys  of  twelve  years  of  age  ;  a 
murderer,  adulterer,  heretic,  infidel,  or  an  incarnate 
devil.  This  man  is  their  church,  as  Gretser,  Bellarmin, 
De  concU.  author.  Lib.  2,  Cap.  19.,  and  others  profess. 

So  that  if  you  force  them  to  define  and  explain  what 
they  mean  by  the  church,  you  will  either  cause  them 
to  open  their  nakedness,  or  find  them  all  to  pieces  about 
the  very  subject  of  dispute. 

When  they  use  the  name  pope  in  disputation,  make 
them  explain  themselves ;  and  tell  you  in  a  definition 
what  they  mean  by  a  pope.  For,  though  you  would 
think  this  term  sufficiently  understood,  yet  you  find 
them  utterly  at  a  loss  about  it.  Consider  distinctly  the 
efficient,  matter,  and  form.  As  to  the  efficient  cause  of 
their  pope,  there  must  concur  a  divine  institution, 
which  they  can  no  where  show,  and  a  call  from  man. 
What  man  or  men  have  power  to  make  a  head  to  the 
catholic  church.!'  But  whether  they  will  call  it  an  ef 
ficient  cause,  or  only  an  essential  cause,  election  and 
ordination  must  go  to  make  a  pope.     Now  either  they 


JUGGLING.  Ill 

will  put  these  into  their  definition,  or  not.  If  not,  know 
of  them  wliether  a  man  witlioiit  election  and  ordination 
may  be  pope  :  if  so,  wiiat  makes  him  one  .''  If  posses- 
sion, then  he  that  can  conquer  Rome  and  sit  down  in 
the  chair  is  pope.  If  not  possession,  what  then  ?  why- 
may  not  any  man  say  I  am  pope  .''  But  doubtless  they 
will  tell  you  that  an  election,  or  ordination,  or  both 
are  necessary.  If  so,  then  is  it  necessary  to  the  being 
of  a  pope,  that  some  certain  persons  elect  who  have  the 
power,  or  will  any  electors  serve  whosoever?  If  any 
will  serve,  then  every  monastery  or  every  parish  may 
choose  a  pope  ?  If  there  must  be  certain  authorized 
electors,  see  that  those  be  named  in  the  definition. 
Then  first  know  whether  those  electors  are  empowered 
to  that  work  by  divine  law,  or  by  human.  If  by  divine, 
let  them  show  it  if  they  can.  In  Scripture  they  can 
never  find  who  must  choose  the  pope.  And  their  tra- 
dition hath  no  such  precept,  as  appeareth  by  the  alter- 
ations and  divers  ways.  If  it  be  but  by  a  human  eccle- 
siastical canon,  then  the  Papacy  is  so  too  :  for  the  power 
received  can  have  no  higher  a  cause  than  the  power 
giving  or  authorizing. 

When  you  know  who  those  electors  must  be,  you 
open  their  nakedness.  For  if  they  say,  it  must  be  the 
cardinals,  ask  them,  where  then  was  the  pope  when 
there  were  no  cardinals  in  the  world  ?  and  whether 
that  were  a  pope  or  not  that  was  chosen  by  the  whole 
Roman  clergy  ?  or  whether  those  were  popes  oi*  not 
that  were  chosen  by  the  people .''  or  those  that  were 
chosen  by  the  emperor  ?  or  those  that  were  chosen  by 
councils?  If  they  tell  you  that  it  must  be  the  Roman 
clergy  :  know  whether  the  cardinals  be  the  whole  Ro- 
man clergy  ?  Whether  the  people,  the  council  or  the 
emperors  were  the  Roman  clergy?  If  they  would  per- 
suade you,  that  cither  the  people,  or  the  emperor,  or 
the  council  did  not  elect  the  pope,  but  only  show  whom 
the  Roman  clergy  should  elect,  interposing  exorbitantly 
some  unjust  force  with  the  due  election ;  then  all  his- 
tory crieth  shame  against  them.  Nothing  is  more 
evident  in  the  Papal  history  than  that  there  have  been 
at  least  five  ways  of  election  among  them. 

Jf  they  allow  of  any  of  those  as  valid,  which  it  ever 


112  JESUIT 

be,  as  they  must,  or  give  up  their  succession,  then  by 
what  law  of  God  did  the  emperor  of  Germany  choose  a 
head  for  the  church,  any  more  than  the  emperor  of 
Habassia,  or  the  king  of  France  or  Spain?  When  the 
emperor  hath  chosen  one  and  the  clergy  another,  and 
some  others  a  third,  were  all  true  popes,  if  each  party 
was  authorized  electors  ?  If  yet  the  people  choose 
one,  and  the  Roman  clergy  another,  and  the  cardinals 
alone  a  third,  and  the  emperor  a  fourth,  and  a  council 
a  fifth,  must  all  those  stand,  or  which  of  them,  aad 
why  ?  Or  if  they  tell  you  that  it  must  be  the  particular 
Roman  church ;  then  if  the  people  of  that  church  choose 
one,  and  the  clergy  another,  and  the  cardinals  a  third, 
which  is  the  true  pope  ?  The  succession  is  gone  :  for 
they  were  no  popes   that  emperors  or  councils  chose. 

If  they  tell  you  that  it  is  not  election  but  consecra- 
tion that  makes  a  pope  or  that  consecration  is  of  neces- 
sity with  election :  then  demand  of  them  whether  it  be 
any  one  whosoever  that  may  consecrate,  or  whether 
that  high  power  be  confined  to  certain  hands'?  If  any 
may  serve,  or  any  bishops,  then  he  that  can  get  three 
drunken  bishops  to  consecrate  him  may  be  pope.  And 
then  there  may  be  an  hundred  popes  at  once.  But  if 
it  be  confined  to  certain  hands,  let  it  be  declared  who 
those  are  that  must  ordain  or  consecrate  him.  If  they 
say,  that  it  must  be  only  the  Italian  bishops  that  must 
consecrate,  then  know  of  them  by  what  law  of  God 
they  have  power  to  consecrate  a  head  to  the  universal 
church :  by  what  law  they  can  form  a  creature  of  a 
more  noble  species  than  themselves ;  or  whether  this 
prove  not,  that  as  a  bishop  at  first  was  but  like  the  fore- 
man of  a  jury,  thence  sprung  an  archbishop,  and  thence 
a  patriarch,  so  in  process  of  time,  when  pride  grew  ri- 
per, the  pope  grew  to  be  the  head  or  governor  of  the 
universal  church. 

But  if  they  can  show  us  no  law  of  God  empowering 
those  special  consecrators,  any  more  than  others,  then 
where  is  the  Papacy  that  dependeth  on  if?  There  is 
nothing  in  Scripture  to  empower  the  Italian  bishops 
any  more  than  the  Gallican,  German,  or  Asian,  to  con- 
secrate a  head  for  the  catholic  church. 

But  suppose  there  were,  yet  we  must  be  resolved 


jrOGLlNG.  113 

whether  it  be  some  or  all  the  Italian  Bishops  that  must 
do  it?  U  but  some  which  be  they?  and  how  is  their 
power  proved  ?  If  all  or  any,  then  what  shall  we  do 
when  some  of  them  consecrate  one  pope,  and  some 
another,  and  some  a  third  ?  Which  of  those  is  the  pope? 
If  consecration  give  the  power,  all  are  popes.  And 
still  the  Papal  succession  is  overthrown,  while  many 
popes   had  no  consecration  by  Italian  bishops. 

Thus  you  may  sec  what  a  case  the  Jesuits  will  be  in, 
if  you  put  them  to  insert  the  necessary  electors  and 
consecrators  in  their  definition  of  a  pope. 

You  must  also  require  them  to  put  his  necessary 
<lualification  in  the  description.  For  if  no  disposition 
of  the  matter  be  necessary,  then  a  Jew  or  other  infidel 
maybe  pope:  which  they  will  deny.  If  any  dispo- 
sition of  the  subject  be  of  necessity  to  the  reception  of 
the  form,  cause  them  to  put  it  down.  It  is  either  true 
godliness,  or  it  is  common  honesty  and  sobriety :  and 
then  farewell  Papacy  ;  or  it  is  learning  and  knowledge  : 
and  then  Alphonsus  Castro,  and  other  Papists, 
will  bear  witness  that  some  popes  understood  not 
their  grammar,  and  one  good  man,  saith  Wernerus, 
being  ignorant  of  letters,  was  fain  to  get  another  com- 
pope  to  say  his  offices,  though  it  happened  that  they 
could  not  agree,  and  so  a  third  was  chosen,  and  his 
choice  disliked,  and  a  fourth  chosen,  till  there  was  six 
chosen  popes  alive  at  once.  If  age  be  necessary,  then 
children  popes  iiave  interrupted  the  succession.  If  the 
masculine  gender  be  necessary.  Pope  Joan  interrupted 
the  succession,  unless  fifty  of  their  own  historians  de- 
ceive us.  But  the  question  is  whether  faith  in  Christ 
be  of  necessity  to  a  pope  ?  If  so  then  what  will  you 
say  to  John  XXII  I.  that  denied  the  life  to  come,  and  to 
those  that  have  been  guilty  of  heresy  ?  So  that  by 
that  time  they  have  put  the  necessary  qualification  of 
a  pope  into  their  definition,  you  shall  find  them  silenced. 

But  they  are  not  agreed  about  the  very  form  of  the 
papacy.  Some  say  he  is  the  head  of  all  the  church : 
others,  with  the  general  councils  of  Constance  and  Ba- 
sil say,  that  he  is  the  head  only  of  the  singular  mem- 
bers, but  subject  to  a  council.     So  that  you  may  see  what 

10* 


114  JESUIT 

a  case  they  will  be  in,  if  they  tell  you  what  they  mean 
by  a  pope,  and  define  him. 

If  they  use  the  name  of  a  general  council,  call  them 
to  define  what  they  mean  by  a  general  council.  Some 
of  them  will  say,  it  must  be  a  true  representative  of  the 
whole  catholic  church :  so  that  morally  they  are  all 
consenting  to  what  is  there  done.  But  then  the  doubt 
remaineth,  whether  there  be  a  necessity  of  any  eertam 
number  of  bishops?  If  not;  it  seems  the  whole  church 
may  agree  that  twenty,  or  ten,  or  two,  or  one  shall  rep- 
resent them,  and  be  a  general  council.  But  if  this  must 
not  hold,  then  must  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  be  there, 
or  only  some,  and  how  many?  Binius  saith,  vol.  1,  p. 
313.  that  a  general  council  is  that  where  all  the  bishops 
of  the  world  may  and  ought  to  be  present,  unless  they 
be  lawfully  hindred,  and  in  which  none  but  the  Pope 
of  Rome  by  himself  or  his  legates,  is  wont  to  preside.  It 
is  when  all  the  church  is  morally  represented,  the 
pope  presiding. 

How  prove  they  that  only  bishops  should  be  mem- 
bers of  a  council,  and  not  presbyters  ? 

By  their  definition  they  nullify  many  general  councils, 
because  the  pope  presided  not  there :  even  the  first 
general  council  at  Nice. 

By  this  rule  we  never  had  a  general  council.  At  the 
first  session  of  the  council  of  Trent,  there  were  but  four 
archbishops  aud  twenty-two  bishops,  taking  in  the  tit- 
ular bishops  of  Upsal,  Armagh,  and  Worcester.  At 
divers  other  sessions  after  but  eight  or  nine,  or  every 
few  more.  In  the  fourth  session  which  decreed  to  re- 
ceive tradition  with  equal  pious  affection  and  reverence 
as  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  which  gave  a  false  cata- 
logue of  the  canonical  books,  there  were  but  the  pope's 
legates,  two  cardinals,  nine  archbishops,  and  forty  one 
prelates.  Now  was  that  the  whole  church  morally  rcn- 
resented  ?  were  those  twenty-two,  or  forty-one  all  the 
bishops  of  the  world,  or  the  hundredth  part  of  them? 
and  ought  all  the  bishops  of  the  African,  Asian,  and 
other  churches  to  have  been  there? 

It  is  plain  by  this  definition,  that  a  general  council 
is  but  a  name,  and  that  no  such  thing  is  to  be  expected 
in  the  world.     For,  if  all  bishops,  or  half  come  thither, 


JUGGLING.  115 

what  shall  their  flocks  do  the  while  f  How  many 
years  must  they  be  traveling  from  America,  Ethiopia, 
and  all  the  remote  parts  of  the  Christian  world  ?  So 
much  shipping-,  and  provision,  arc  necessary  for  the 
convoy  of  so  many,  that  the  bisliops  are  not  able  to  de- 
fray the  hundredth  part  of  the  charge.  Abundance  of 
them  are  so  aged  and  weak,  that  they  are  unfit  for  the 
journey.  Their  princes  are  some  of  them  infidels,  and 
some  at  wars,  and  will  never  give  them  leave  to  come. 
They  must  pass  through  many  kingdoms  of  the  ene- 
mies, or  that  are  in  wars,  that  will  never  suffer  them  to 
pass.  The  lediousiiess,  and  hazards  of  the  journey 
would  be  death  to  most  of  them,  and  so  it  is  but  a  plot 
to  put  an  end  to  the  church.  The  length  of  general 
councils  is  such,  some  of  them  being  ten  years,  that  at 
Trent  eighteen,  that  so  many  bishops  to  be  long  absent 
from  home,  is  but  to  give  up  the  church  to  infidelity  or 
impiety:  unless  the  bishops  be  such  things  as  the 
church  can  spare.  When  they  come  together,  they 
could  not  understand  one  another,  because  of  the  diver- 
sity of  their  languages.  The  number  would  be  so 
great,  that  they  could  not  converse  in  one  assembly: 
so  that  a  true  general  council  now,  is  but  a  name  to 
amuse  those  that  think  the  world  is  no  bigger  than  a 
man  may  ride  over  in  a  week's  short  journey. 

This  definition  is  ridiculous  for  it  is  enough  that  all 
the  bishops  of  the  world  may  and  ought  to  be  there, 
whether  they  be  there  or  not.  But  then  what  if  lazi- 
ness or  danger  deter  them  or  detain  them  ?  Is  that  a 
council  where  bishops  ought  to  be  and  are  not?  How 
many  must  be  present,  any  or  none?  Prove  that  forty 
bishops  are  a  general  council,  because  the  rest  ought  to 
be  there.  Who  shall  be  judge  of  each  man's  case, 
whether  he  could  or  ought  to  have  been  there?  Will 
you  judge  men  before  they  are  heard,  or  their  cause 
known  ?  Your  saying  that  they  ought  to  have  been 
there,  is  no  proof. 

Binius  hath  one  exception,  unless  lawfully  hinder- 
ed. If  all  the  bishops  in  the  world  be  Ijfwfully  hin- 
dred,  it  seems  it  is  a  general  council  when  no  body  is 
there :  you  see  now  what  you  put  the  Papists  too,  if 
you  put  them  to  define  a  general  council,  or  tell  you 
what  they  mean   by  that  word. 


IIG  JESUIT 

CHAPTER     X. 

Pupal  Coyifusion.  '^ 

When  the}?-  go  about  from  councils  or  other  history 
to  prove  the  sovereignty  of  the  pope,  let  them  not  cheat 
you  by  confounding  ;  a  human  ordinance  with  a  di- 
vine :  an  alteiahle  point  of  order  loith  an  unalterable 
essential  part  of  the  church:  or  a  mere  primacy  in 
the  same  order  or  office,  tcith  a  governing  sovereignty 
or  a  different  order  or  office. 

Therefore  we  would  learn  of  them,  whether  the  pre- 
eminence and  order  of  the  five  patriarchal  sees,  began 
not  about  the  first  council  but  was  settled  some  while 
after:  for  till  there  were  general  councils,  so  called, 
there  was  no  occasion  of  determining  which  should 
have  the  first,  second  or  third  seat. 

Whenever  the  time  was,  we  inquire;  whether  the 
sees  of  Jerusalem,  Antioch,   Alexandria,   were  not  pa- 
triarchal as  soon  as  Rome  ?  and  whether  councils  that 
speak  of  priority,  or   posteriority,   do  not   in  the  same 
manner,  and  on  the  same  grounds,  and  to  the  same  ends 
give  Alexandria,  and  Antioch,  their  places,  as  they  do 
to  Rome?     We  find  them  speaking  of  them  as  matters 
of  the  same  order  and  nature.      Whether  all  those  have 
not  the  same  kind  of  right  to  their  preeminence,  wheth- 
er it  be  divine  or  human  ?     The  very  foundation  of  the 
patriarchal  order,  and  of  Rome's  patriarchal  primacy, 
which  was  the  preparative  to  its  universal  sovereignty, 
was  a  mere  human  invention,  given  on  occasion  of  the 
imperial  seat  at  Rome,  and  not  any  institution  of  Christ 
to  Peter  and  his  successors.     All  that  will   not  be  be- 
fooled out  of  all   historical   verity  by  Popish  audacity, 
may  take  it  from  the  express   words  of  the  council  of 
Calcedon,  Act.  16, — "We   following  always  the  defini- 
tions  of  the  holy  fathers,   and    canon,   and  knowing 
those  that  ngw  have  been  read  of  the  150  bishops,  that 
were  congregated  under  the    emperor  Theodosius  at 
Constantinople,   things,     concerning  the  privileges  of 
the  same  church  of  Constantinople.     For  to  the  seat  of 
old  Rome,  because  the  empire  of  that  city,  the  fathers 


JUGGLING.  117 

consequently  gave  the  privileges.  And  the  150  bish- 
ops being  moved  with  tlie  same  intention,  have  given 
equal  privileges  to  new  Rome:  reasonably  judging, 
that  the  city  adorned  with  the  empire  and  senate,  shall 
enjoy  equal  privileges  with  old  regal  Rome."  Binius 
p.  134. 

It  may  confound  all  the  Papal  jugglers  on  earth  to 
find  an  approved  general  council  affirming  that  Rome's 
primacy  was  given  by  the  fathers  ;  because  it  wa«>  the 
imperial  city.  On  the  same  reason  they  do  the  like  by 
Constantinople  ;  for  the  council  of  Constantinople  which 
had  gone  before  them  on  those  grounds :  so  that  you  have 
the  vote  of  two  councils,  that  it  was  not  so  from  the  be- 
ginning, nor  an  apostolical  tradition,  but  the  act  of  the 
fathers,  because  of  the  imperial  city.  If  a  general 
council  can  err.  Popery  is  a  deceit.  If  it  cannot  err, 
then  the  very  primacy  in  the  pope  was  then  but  new, 
and  done  by  man,  that  might  do  the  like  by  others,  and 
therefore  undo  this  again. 

But  say  they.  Pope  Leo  confirmed  not  this.     Then  the 
church  representative  may  err,  and  the  pope  only  is  in- 
fallible.    Leo  and  his   delegates   never  expected  one 
word  against  the  saying,  that  it  was  because  of  the  ern- 
pire,  that  Rome  by  the  fathers  had  the  primacy  given  it. 
The  reason  given   by  themselves  Concil.  Constant, 
can.  5.  is  this,  because  Constantinople  is  new  Rome. 
Binius  saith  that  Rome  receiveth  not  the  canons  of^ 
this   council   neither,    but   only   their   cuiideuuiation    oi 
Macedonius  :   and  that  every  council  hath  just  so  much 
strength  and  authority  as  the    apostolic  seat  bestoweth 
on  it.     For  unless  this   be  admitted,  no  reason   can  be 
given  why  some  councils  of  greater  numbers  of  bishops 
were  reprobated  ;  and  others  of  a  smaller  number  con- 
firmed."    Vol.  2.  p.  515. 

What  would  you  have  more  ?  Do  you  not  see  what 
the  Popish  church  is  ;  and  what  they  mean  when  they 
ask  you,  whether  your  private  judgment  be  safer  or 
wiser  than  that  of  the  whole  church,  or  of  all  the  Chris- 
tian world  ?  You  see  they  mean  all  this  while  but  one 
man,  whom  Gretser  and  others  plainly  confess  they 
call  the  church.  So  that  indeed  it  is  general  councils, 
and  all  the  Christian  world  or  church  that  are  the  ig- 


118  '  JESUIT 

norant,  fallible,  and  oft  erring  part:  and  it  is  one  man, 
who  has  been  reputed  an  incarnate  devil  by  a  general 
council,  that  is  the  unerring  pillar  of  the  church,  and 
wiser  than  all.  They  make  a  mere  nothing  or  mockery 
of  general  councils,  any  further  than  they  please  the 
pope?  And  can  you  expect  that  any  thing  should 
please  them  that  is  agaiiist  his  greatness,  or  as  Julius 
II.  calls  it,  his  holding  the  place  of  the  great  God, 
the  maker  of  all  things,  and  laws  ?  What  a  vile  abuse 
is  it  then  of  the  pope  to  trouble  the  world  by  the  meet- 
ings and  consultations  of  general  councils,  when  he 
can  sit  at  Rome  and  contradict  them  infallibly,  and 
save  the  catholic  church  from  the  errors  that  general 
councils  would  else  lead  them  into  :  and  therefore  could 
he  not  with  less  ado  infallibly  make  us  laws,  canons 
and  Scriptures  without  them?  For  that  which  the 
pope  can  do  against  a  general  council,  he  can  do  with- 
out them.  If  he  can  infallibly  contradict  a  general 
council,  and  infallibly  rule  us  without  them.  There- 
fore 3"0U  may  look  long  enough  before  you  see 
another  general  council.  The  council  of  Constance 
were  neither  prognosticators  nor  effectual  lawgivers, 
when  they  prognosticated  and  ordained  decennial  coun- 
ciis. 

Here  also  you  may  see  what  account  the  Papists 
make  even  of  the  first  general  councils.  It  is  all  one 
with  them  to  judge  others  heretics  for  contradicting  es- 
pecially the  four  first  general  councils,  compared  to  the 
four  evangelists  as  the  Scripture  itself:  and  yet  they 
profess  themselves  to  reject  the  canons  or  decrees  of 
both  those,  the  first  of  Constantinople,  and  that  of  Cal- 
cedon. 

Thus  the  pope  is  privileged  from  all  possibility  of 
being  an  heretic  personilly:  and  not  only  the  Romish 
universal  monarchy  and  vice-godhead,  but  even  its  pa- 
triarchal primacy  was  no  apostolical  tradition,  but  a 
human  institution,  founded  on  this  consideration,  that 
Rome  was  the  imperial  seat  and  city. 

Human  it  must  needs  be:  for  councils  did  not  de- 
clare any  part  of  the  law  of  God,  but  ordain  it  as  an 
act  of  their  own.  They  and  the  patriarchate  of  Con- 
stantinople, which   was  a  new  seat,  neither  patriarch 


JUGGLING.  '  119 

nor  bishop  residing-  tlicrc  in  tlio  apostles'  clays,  or  Ion"- 
after.  Tlicy  give  this  new  patriarcii  the  second  place 
and  once  made  him  equal  with  old  Rome,  which  they 
would  never  have  presumed  to  do,  if  they  had  thought 
that  the  jiatriarchship  of  Alexandria,  Anlioch,  or  Rome 
had  been  of  divine  institution:  for  what  horrible  arro- 
gance would  that  have  been,  when  the  Holy  Ghost 
by  the  apostles  had  made  Alexandria  second,  and  An- 
lioch third,  and  Rome  first,  for  a  council  to  set  Con- 
stantinople befove  two  of  them,  and  equal  with  the  first. 

Therefore  if  patriarchs  be  desirable  creatures,  there 
may  more  new  ones  now  be  made,  as  lawfully  as  that 
of  Constantinople. 

Therefore  we  judge,  that  to  disobey  the  pope,  or 
withdraw  from  his  subjection,  if  he  had  never  forfeited 
his  patriarchship  by  the  claim  of  an  universal  headship, 
were  no  greater  a  sin,  than  to  disobey  or  withdraw 
from  the  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  Antioch,  or  Constan- 
tinople. Either  the  government  by  patriarchs  and 
archbishops  is  of  God's  ordaining  and  approving,  or 
not:  if  not  then  it  is  no  sin  to  reject  any  of  them.  If 
it  be  of  God,  then  to  reject  any  of  them,  though  in  sim- 
ple error,  is  a  sin  of  disobedience  through  ignorance, 
but  is  far  from  proving  a  man  to  be  no  member  of  the 
catholic  church  :  for  patriarchs  are  far  from  being  es- 
sential parts  of  the  catholic  church. 

As  in  the  Papists'  own  judgment,  the  catholic  church 
may  be  without  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  Alex- 
andria, or  Antioch;  so  may  it  therefore  without  the 
Pope  of  Rome.  All  the  Greek  church  which  hath  set 
up  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople  in  competition  with 
the  pope,  must  needs  hold  that  the  universal  primacy 
is  of  human  institution:  for  Constantinople  never  pre- 
tended to  a  divine  institution  :  and  they  could  never 
have  had  the  impudence  to  prefer  a  human  before  a  di- 
vine :  and  therefore  never  thought  the  primacy  of  Rome 
to  be  of  divine  right. 


120  JEsuit 

CHAPTER     XI. 

Tradition. 

The  great  endeavor  of  the  Papists  is  to  advance  tra- 
dition :  the  council  of  Trent  ses.  4.  hath  equalled  it 
with  the  Scriptures  as  to  the  pious  affection  and  reverence 
wherewith  they  receive  it.  On  pretence  of  this  tradition 
they  have  added  abundance  of  new  articles  to  the  faith, 
and  accuse  us  as  heretics  for  not  receiving  their  tra- 
ditions. This  is  a  principal  difference  betwixt  us,  that 
we  take  the  Scriptures  to  be  sufficient,  to  acquaint  us 
with  the  will  of  God,  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  holy  liv- 
ing: and  they  take  it  to  be  but  part  of  the  word,  knd  that 
the  other  part  is  in  unwritten  tradition,  which  they 
equal  with  this.  For  the  maintaining  of  tradition  it  is 
that  they  write  so  much  to  the  dishonor  of  the  Holy 
Scripture. 

For  the  discovery  of  their  desperate  fraud  in  this 
point,  and  the  right  confuting  of  them  ,  you  must  dis- 
tinguish them  out  of  their  confusion  :  you  must  grant 
them  all  that  is  true  and  just,  which  we  shall  as  stifly 
defend  as  they:  you  must  reject  their  errors  and  con- 
fute them  :  and  you  may  turn  their  own  principal  weap- 
on against  them,  to  the  certain  destruction  of  their 
cause. 

We  must  distinguish  the  tradition  of  the  Scriptures, 
or  the  Scripture  doctrine,  from  the  tradition  of  other 
doctrines,  pretended  to  be  the  rest  of  the  word  of  God : 
between  a  certain  proved  tradition,  and  that  which  is 
unproved  and  uncertain,  if  not  grossly  feigned:  between 
the  tradition  of  the  whole  catholic  church,  or  the  great- 
er part,  and  the  tradition  of  the  lesser  more  corrupted 
and  selfish  the  Roman  part !  between  a  tradition  of 
necessary  doctrine  or  practice,  and  the  tradition  of  mu- 
table orders  :  between  tradition  of  testimony,  or  history, 
or  of  teaching  ministry,  and  tradition  of  decisive  judg- 
ment, as  to  the  universal  church.  Suffer  them  not  to 
jumble  all  those  together,  if  you  would  not  be  cheated 
in  the  dark. 

Concerning  tradition,  we  grant  the  following  propo- 
sitions. 


JUGGLING  i<^l 

That  the  Holy  Scriptures  come  down  to  us  by  the  cer- 
tain tradition  of  our  fathers  and  teachers  ;  and  that  what 
the  seeing  and  hearing  of  the  apostles  was  to  tiiem  that 
lived  with  them,  that  tradition  and  belief  of  certain  tradi- 
tion is  to  us,  by  reason  of  our  distance  from  the  time  and 
place.  So  that  thougii  the  Scripture  bears  its  own  evi- 
dence of  a  divine  author,  in  the  image  or  superscription 
of  God  upon  it,  yet  we  are  beholden  to  tradition  for  the 
books  themselves,  and  for  much  of  our  knovvlt-dge  that 
those  are  the  true  writings  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
and  all,  and  not  depraved,  &c. 

The  essentials  of  the  faith  have  been  delivered  even 
from  the  apostles  in  other  ways  and  forms,  besides  the 
Scriptures:  as  in  the  professions  of  the  faith  of  the 
churches.  In  the  baptismal  covenant  and  signs,  and 
whole  administration.  In  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  Cat- 
echisms. In  the  prayers  and  praises  of  the  church. 
In  the  hearts  of  all  true  believers,  where  God  hath 
written  all  the  essentials  of  the  Christian  faith  and  law. 
So  that  we  will  not  do  as  the  Papists  perversly  do  : 
when  God  delivereth  us  the  Christian  religion  with 
two  hands.  Scripture  completely  and  verbal  tradition, 
in  the  essentials ;  they  quarrel  with  Scripture  on  pre- 
tence of  defending  the  other:  so  will  not  we  quarrel  with 
tradition,  but  thankfully  confess  a  tradition  of  the  same 
Christianity  by  unwritten  means,  which  is  delivered 
more  fully  in  the  Scripture:  and  this  tradition  is  in 
st)me  respect  subordmale  to  Scripture,  and  in  some 
respect  co-ordinate,  to  hold  us  out  the  truth. 

The  apostles  delivered  the  Gospel  by  voice  as  well 
as  by  writing,  before  they  wrote  it  to  the  churches. 

By  that  preaching  we  confess  there  were  Christians 
made,  who  had  the  doctrine  of  Christ  in  their  hearts, 
and  churches  gathered  that  had  his  ordinances  among 
them,  before  the  Gospel  was  written. 

We  confess  that  the  converted  were  bound  to  teach 
what  they  had  received  to  their  children,  servants  and 
others:  that  there  was  a  settled  ministry  in  many 
churches  ordained  to  preach  the  gospel  as  they  had 
received  it  from  the  apostles  before  it  was  written :  that 
baptism,  catechising,  profession,  the  eucharist,  prayer, 
praise,  &c,  were  instituted  and  in  use,  before  the  Gos- 

11 


]22  JESUIT 

pel  was  written  for  the  churches :  that  when  the  Gos- 
pel was  written  as  tradition  bringeth  it  to  us,  so  minis- 
ters are  commissioned  to  deliver  both  the  books  and 
the  doctrine  of  that  book,  as  the  teachers  of  the  church, 
and  to  preach  it  to  those  without,  for  their  conversion  ; 
that  parents  and  masters  are  bound  to  teach  that  doc- 
trine to  their  children  and  servants:  if  a  minister  or 
other  person  were  cast  into  the  Indies  or  America  with- 
out a  Bible,  he  must  teach  the  doctrine,  though  he  re- 
membered not  the  words ;  and  by  so  doing  might  save 
souls  :  that  to  the  great  benefit  of  the  church,  writers 
of  all  ages  in  subserviency  to  Scripture  have  delivered 
down  the  sacred  verities,  and  historians  the  matters 
of  fact:  that  the  unanimous  consent  of  all  tiie  churches 
manifested  in  their  constant  professions,  and  practices, 
is  a  great  confirmation  to  us  :  so  are  the  sufferings  of  the 
martyrs  for  the  same  truth  :  the  declaration  of  each 
consent  by  councils  is  also  a  confirming  tradition  :  and 
the  confessions  of  heretics,  Jews  and  other  infidels,  are 
providential  and  historical  traditions,  for  confirmation  : 
and  we  also  profess  thai  if  we  had  any  certain  proof 
of  a  tradition  from  the  apostles  of  any  thing  more  than 
is  written  in  Scripture,  we  would  receive  it. 

But  we  take  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  complete 
universal  rule  or  law  of  faith  and  holy  living.  We 
know  of  no  tradition  that  containeth  another  word  of 
God;  and  we  know  there  is  none  such  because  the 
Scripture  is  true,  which  asseiteth  its  own  sufficiency. 
Scripture,  and  unwritten  tradition  are  but  two  ways  of 
acquainting  the  world  with  the  same  christian  doctrine ; 
and  not  with  divers  parts  of  that  doctrine,  that  tradition 
adds  to  Scripture.  It  is  but  the  substance  of  greatest 
virtues  that  are  conveyed  by  unwritten  tradition :  but 
that  and  much  more  is  contained  in  the  Scripture,  where 
the  christian  doctrine  is  complete,  and  containeth  the 
integrals  as  well  as  the  essentials. 

The  manner  of  delivery  in  a  form  of  words,  which 
no  man  may  alter,  and  in  so  much  fulness  and  perspi- 
cuity, is  mucli  to  be  preferred  before  the  mere  verbal 
delivery  of  the  same  doctrine.  The  memory  of  man 
cannot  retain  as  much  as  the  Bible  doth  contain,  and 
preserve  it  safe  from    alterations  or  corruptions ;  or  if 


JUGGLING.  123 

one  man  were  of  so  strong  a  memor3%  no  man  can  ima- 
gine that  all  should  be  so ;  or  if  one  orcneration  had  such 
wonderful  memories,  we  cannot  imagine  that  all  their 
posterity  should  have  the  liUe. 

If  all  the  world  had  such  Tniraculous  memories,  yet 
men  arc  apt  to  be  negligent  either  in  learning  or  keep- 
ing of  lioly  doctrine.  All  have  not  that  zeal  that  ex- 
cites them  to  such  wonderful  diligence  without  which 
such  a  treasure  could  not  be  preserved. 

When  so  much  matter  is  committed  to  bare  memory 
without  a  form  of  unalterable  words,  new  words  may 
make  an  alteration  before  men  are  aware.  The  change 
of  one  word  sometimes  makes  a  whole  discourse  have 
another  sense. 

There  are  so  many  carnal  men  in  the  world  that 
love  not  the  strictness  of  that  doctrine  which  they  do 
possess,  and  so  many  heretics  that  would  pervert  the 
holy  doctrine,  that  it  would  purposely  be  altered  by 
them  if  it  could  be  done  ;  and  it  might  much  more 
easily  be  done,  if  it  lay  all  upon  mens'  memories  :  for 
one  party  would  set  their  memory  against  the  others, 
and  tradition  would  be  set  against  tradition  :  especially 
when  the  far  greater  part  of  the  church  turn  heretics, 
as  in  the  Arians'  days ;  then  tradition  would  be  most 
at  their  keeping  and  interpretation  ;  and  if  we  had  not 
then  had  the  unalterable  Scriptures,  what  might  they 
not  have  done  ? 

A  whole  body  of  doctrine  kept  only  in  memory,  will 
soon  be  disjointed;  and  if  the  matter  were  kept  safe, 
yet  the  methud  and  manner  would  be  lost. 

There  could  not  be  such  satisfactory  evidence  given 
to  another  of  the  integrity  or  certainty  of  it,  as  when 
it  is  preserved  in  writing.  We  should  all  be  diflident 
that  the  laws  were  corrupted,  or  that  lawyers  might 
combine  to  do  it  at  their  pleasure,  if  there  were  no  law 
books  or  records,  but  all  lay  in  their  memories.  If 
they  were  faithful,  yet  they  could  not  give  us  evidence 
of  it. 

The  holy  truths  of  God,  historical,  doctrinal,  practi- 
cal, prophetical,  &c.,  without  a  course  of  miracles,  or 
extraordinary  means,  could  not  have  been  kept  through 
all  ages,  as  well  without  writing,  as  with  it. 


124  JESUIT 

If  writing  be  not  necessary,  why  have  we  so  many 
fathers,  histories,  and  canons?  Why  do  they  fetch 
their  tradition  from  those  and  ridiculously  call  them 
unwritten  verities  ^  Are  they  unwritten,  when  they 
turn  us  to  so  many  volumes  for  them?  If  man's  writ- 
ing be  necessary  for  their  preserv^ation,  men  should 
thankfully  acknowledge  that  God  hath  taken  the  best 
way  in  giving  it  us  in  his  own  unalterable  phrase. 

If  they  prove  that  some  matters  of  fact  are  made 
known  to  us  by  tradition  that  are  not  in  the  Scripture, 
or  that  any  church  orders  or  circumstances  of  worship 
then  used  are  so  made  known  to  us,  which  yet  we 
wait  for  the  proof  of,  it  will  not  follow  that  any  of  those 
are  therefore  divine  institutions,  or  universal  laws  for 
the  unchangeable  obligation  of  the  whole  church.  If 
there  be  some  things  historically  related  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, that  were  obligatory  but  for  a  season,  and  ceased 
when  the  occasion  ceased,  as  the  washing  of  feet,  the 
abstaining  from  things  strangled  and  blood,  the  anoint- 
ing of  the  sick,  the  prophesyings  one  by  one,  1  Cor.  xiv. 
31.  miraculous  gifts  and  their  exercise,  &c.  it  will  not 
follow,  that  they  are  universal  laws  to  the  church. 

We  will  never  take  the  pope's  decision  for  a  proof  of 
tradition:  nor  will  we  receive  it  from  pretended  au- 
thority, but  from  rational  evidence.  Their  saying,  ice. 
are  the  authorised  keepers  of  tradition,  shall  not  go 
with  us  for  proof. 

It  is  not  the  testimony  of  the  Papists  alone,  who  are 
not  only  a  lesser  part  of  the  church,  but  a  part  that  hath 
espoused  a  corrupt  interest  against  the  rest,  that  we 
shall  take  for  certain  proof  of  a  tradition,  but  we  will 
prefer  the  testimony  of  the  whole  church  before  the 
Romish  church  alone. 

They  that  can  produce  the  best  records  of  anliquitv, 
or  rational  proof  of  the  antiquity  of  the  thing  they  plead 
for,  are  of  more  regard  in  the  matter  of  tradition  than 
millions  of  unlearned  men.  Universal  tradition  is 
preferred  before  the  tradition  of  the  Romish  sect,  and 
rational  7;roo/ of  antiquity  is  preferred  before  ignorant 
surmises.  But  where  both  those  concur  w/iircrsa/ co«- 
$ent,  and  records  or  other  credible  evidence  of  antiqui- 
ty, it  is  most  valid. 


JtGGLINO.  125 

As  for  the  Romish  traditions  which  they  take  for 
part  of  God's  word  ;  they  must  produce  sufficient  proof 
that  they  came  from  the  apostles,  before  we  can  receive 
them  as  apostolic  tradition  :  and  also  that  it  was  deliv- 
ered by  the  apostles  as  a  perpetual  universal  doctrine 
or  law  for  the  whole  church. 

Either  those  traditions  have  evidence  to  prove  them 
apostolical,  or  no  evidence.  If  none,  how  can  the  pope 
know  them  ?  If  they  have  evidence,  why  may  not  we 
know  it  as  well  as  the  pope? 

If  there  be  any  proof  of  these  traditions,  it  is  either 
some  ancient  records  or  monuments  :  or  it  is  the  prac- 
tice of  the  church ;  but  then  how  shall  we  know  how 
long-  that  practice  hath  continued,  without  recourse  to 
the  writings  of  the  ancients:''  Reports  are  very  uneer- 
tain.  If  it  may  be  known  without  the  search  of  ancient 
records,  then  we  may  know  it  as  well  as  they. 

If  the  pope  and  his  priests  have  been  the  keepers  of 
it,  have  they  in  all  ages  kept  it  to  themselves  or  declared 
it  to  the  church  ?  If  they  have  concealed  it,  then  it  be- 
longed not  to  others  :  or  else  they  were  unfaithful  and 
unfit  for  the  office.  Then  how  do  succeeding  popes 
and  priests  know  it  ?  If  they  divulged  it,  then  others 
know  it  as  well  as  they.  We  have  had  abundance  of 
preachers  from  among  the  Papists,  who  were  once  Pa- 
pists themselves,  as  Luther,  MelanrAhon,  Zuingluie, 
Calvin,  Beza,  Peter  Martyr,  Bucer,  S^*c.,  and  yet  they 
knew  not  apostolical  traditions. 

It  mars  your  credit  with  us,  because  we  are  nble  to 
prove  the  beginning  of  some  of  your  traditions,  or  a 
time  when  they  had  no  being  :  also  the  death  and  burial^ 
of  many  things  that  have  long  gone  under  the  name  of 
traditions. 

You  are  so  confounded  between  your  ecclesiastical 
decrees  and  traditions,  and  your  apostolical  traditions, 
that  we  despair  of  learning  to  know  one  from  the  other 
and  of  seeing  under  the  hand  of  the  pope  and  a  general 
council  a  catalogue  of  the  true  apostolical  traditions. 
It  seems  to  us  scarce  fair  dealing  that  in  one  thousand 
years  time,  the  church  could  never  have  an  enumeration 
"and  description  of  those  traditions,  with  the  proofs  of 
them. 

11* 


12G  JESUIT 

It  is  abominable  impiety  for  you  to  equal  your  tradi- 
tions with  the  Holy  Scripture,  till  you  have  enumerated 
and  proved  them.  It  makes  us  suspect  your  traditions, 
when  we  perceive  that  they  or  their  patrons  have  such 
an  enmity  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  they  cannot  be 
rio^htly  defended  without  casting  some  reproach  upon 
tlie  Scriptures,  But  this  is  no  new  thing  with  the  ap- 
plauders  of  tradition.  The  eighth  general  council  at 
Constantinople,  Can.  3,  decreed  that  the  image  of  Christ 
should  be  adored  with  equal  honor  iciih  (he  holy  Scripture. 

If  your  own  councils  themselves,  are  for  the  suffi- 
ciency of  Scripture,  what  then  has  become  of  &il  your 
traditions  ?  Binius,  p.  299,  Council  of  Basil,  Ragusii 
Orat. — "  Faith  and  all  things  necessary  to  salvation, 
both  matters  of  belief  and  matters  of  practice,  are  founded 
in  the  literal  sense  of  Scripture,  and  only  from  that  may 
argumentation  be  taken  for  the  proving  of  those  things 
that  are  matters  of  faith,  or  necessary  to  salvation  ; 
and  not  from  those  passages  that  are  spoken  by  allegory, 
or  other  spiritual  sense.  The  Holy  Scripture  in  the 
literal  sense  soundly  and  well  understood,  is  the  infal- 
lible and  most  sufficient  rule  of  faith.'' ^  This  is  the 
Protestant  doctrine.  There  is  nothing  any  way  neces- 
sary to  faith  or  salvation,  but  what  is  contained  in  the 
Scriptures,  either  expressly,  or  as  the  conclasion  in  the 
premises.  We  grant  tradition  or  church  practices  are 
very  useful  for  our  better  understanding  of  some  Scrip- 
tures :  but,  what  is  this  to  another  traditional  word  ot 
God?  Prove  your  traditions  by  inference  from  Scrip- 
ture and  we  receive  them. 

This  is  the  doctrine  for  Scripture.  Sufficiency  and 
perfection  are  the  rule  of  faith  and  life,  admitting  no  ad- 
dition as  necessary,  but  explication.  When  this  doc- 
trine past  so  lately  in  a  Popish  council,  you  may  sec 
that  the  very  doctrine  of  tradition  equalled  with  Scrip- 
ture, or  being  another  word  of  God,  necessary  to  faith 
and  salvation,  containing  what  is  wanting  in  Scripture, 
is  but  lately  sprung  up  in  the  world. 

Tiie  Papists  get  liitle  by  their  argument  from  tradi- 
tion :  they  lose  by  it  all  their  cause. 

For  two  things  they  much  plead  tradition  ;  their  pri- 
vate doctrines  and  practices,  in   which  they  disagree 


JUOOLING.  127 

from  all  Christians  ;  and  there  they  lose  their  lahor 
with  the  judicious  :  because  tliey  ^ive  us  no  sufficient 
proof  tjjat  their  tradition  is  apostolical,  and  because  tlir> 
dissent  of  other  churches  showeth  that  it  is  not  universal. 

Tlie  other  cause  for  which  they  plead  tradition  is  the 
doctrine  of  Christianity  itself;  with  a  desic^n  to  lead 
jnen  to  the  church  of  Rome  :  as  if  we  must  be  no  (chris- 
tians, unless  we  are  Christians  upon  the  credit  of  the 
pope,  and  his  subjects. 

We  do  not  strive  against  tradition  or  testimony  of  an- 
tiquity for  the  Scripture,  or  for  Scripture  doctrine  :  we 
make  much  advantage  of  such  just  tradition.  We  ac- 
cept our  religion  from  both  the  hands  of  Providence  that 
bring  it  us  ;  Scripture  and  tradition  ;  and  we  abhor  the 
contempt  which  those  partial  disputers  cast  upon  Scrip- 
ture ;  but  we  are  not  tlierefore  so  partial  ourselves  as  to 
refuse  any  collateral  or  subordinate  help  for  our  faith. 
Tlij  more  testimonies  the  better.  The  best  of  us  have 
need  of  all  the  advantages  for  our  faith  that  we  can  get. 
When  they  have  extolled  the  certainty  of  tradition  to 
the  highest,  we  gladly  join  with  them,  and  accept  of  any 
certain  tradition  of  the  mind  of  God.  I  advise  all  who 
would  prove  themselves  wise  defenders  of  the  faith,  to 
take  heed  of  rejecting  arguments  from  providences,  or 
any  necessary  testimony  of  man,  especially  concerning 
matter  of  fact,  or  of  rejecting  true  church  history,  be- 
cause the  Papists  overvalue  it  under  the  name  of  tra- 
dition, lest  such  prove  guilty  of  the  like  partiality  and 
injuriousness  to  the  truth  as  the  Papists  are.  Whereas 
the  Papists  imagine,  that  this  must  lead  us  to  their  church 
for  tradition,  I  answer  we  go  beyond  the  Papists  in  ar- 
guing for  just  tradition  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  make 
far  greater  advantage  of  it  than  they  can  do.  They  ar- 
gue but  from  authoritative  decision  by  the  pope,  under 
the  name  of  church  tradition,  whereas  we  argue  from 
true  history  and  certain  antiquity,  and  prove  what  we 
say. 

Their  tradition  is  no  tradition  :  for  it  must  be  taken 
upon  the  credit  of  a  man,  supposed  infallible  iby  super- 
natural, if  not  miraculous  endowment ;  which  is  not  tra- 
dition but  prophesy.  If  they  prove  the  man  to  be  such 
a  man,  it  is  all  one  to  the  church  whether  he  say  that 


128  JESUIT 

this  was  the  apostles'  doctrine,  or  this  I  deliver  myself  to 
you  from  God.  For  he  is  so  qualified,  he  has  the  pow- 
er and  credit  of  a  prophet  or  apostle  himself  :  therefore 
they  must  prove  tlie  pope  to  he  a  prophet,  before  their 
tradition  can  get  credit :  and  when  they  have  done  that 
there  is  no  need  of  it. 

When  Papists  speak  of  tradition  confusedly,  they  give 
us  just  reason  to  call  them  to  define  their  tradition,  and 
tell  us  what  they  mean  by  it,  before  we  dispute  with 
them  upon  an  ambiguous  word  ;  seeing  they  are  so  divid- 
ed among  themselves,  that  one  party  understands  one 
thing  by  it,  and  another  another  thing ;  which  we  must 
not  sufler  tliose  jugglers  to  jumble  together  and  confound. 

Another  advantage  in  which  we  go  beyond  the  Papists 
for  tradition,  is,  that  as  we  argue  not  from  the  mere  pre- 
tended supernatural  infallibility  or  authority  of  any  ;  as 
they  do,  but  from  rational  evidence  of  true  antiquity  ; 
so  we  argue  not  from  a  sect  or  party  as  they  do,  but  from 
the  universal  church.  As  far  as  the  whole  church  of 
Christ  is  of  larger  extent  and  greater  credit  than  the 
Popish  party,  so  far  is  our  tradition  more  credible  than 
theirs. 

The  Papists  are  fewer  by  far  than  the  rest  of  the  nom- 
inal christians  in  the  world.  And  the  testimony  of  many 
is  more  than  of  a  part.  The  Papists  above  other  parties 
have  espoused  an  interest  that  leads  them  to  preten  1 
and  corrupt  tradition,  and  bend  all  things  to  that  inter- 
est of  their  own,  that  they  may  lord  it  it  over  all  the 
world :  but  the  whole  church  can  have  no  such  interest 
and  partiality.  The  Papists  are  but  one  side  ;  and  he 
that  will  judge  rightly,  must  hear  the  other  sides  speak  too. 
But  the  tradition  that  we  make  use  of,  is  from  all  sides 
concurring  ;  even  Papists  themselves  agree  with  us  in 
many  points. 

Our  tradition  reacheth  farther  than  the  universal  church, 
for  we  take  in  all  rational  evidence  of  Jews,  heathens, 
heretics,  and  persecutors  ;  that  bear  witness  to  the  mat- 
ters of  fact,  and  what  was  the  doctrine  and  practice  of 
the  cluistians  in  their  times,  and  what  books  they  made 
tlie  ground  of  their  faith.  So  that  as  impartial  history 
or  testimony  differeth  from  private  assertion,  or  from  the 
testimony  of  one  party  only  ;  so  doth  our  tradition  excel 


JUGGLING.  129 

both  the  sorts  of  Popish  tradition,  both  that  of  the  Papal, 
and  that  of  the  council  pariy. 

But  \vc  have  not  done  with  tiiom,  till  tradition  has 
given  them  their  mortal  stroke.  You  appeal  to  tradition, 
to  tradition  you  shall  go.  l>ut  what  tradition?  The 
tradition  of  the  catholic  church'?  and  where  is  that  to  he 
found  and  known  ?  hut  in  the  profession  and  practice  of 
tlie  church,  and  in  the  records  of  the  church? 

The  great  questions  between  you  and  us,  arc  these  : 
Whether  the  pope  be  the  head  and  sovereign  ruler  of 
the  whole  catholic  church  ?  and  ichether  the  catholic 
church  and  the  Roman  are  of  equal  extent? 

Inquire  of  the  present  church  :  and  there  we  have  the 
profession  and  practice  of  all  the  Greeks;  the  Syrians; 
the  Moscovites  ,*  the  Georgians;  and  all  others  dispers- 
ed throughout  the  Turk's  dominions,  with  the  Jacobites, 
Armenians,  Egyptians,  Abassines,  and  all  other  church- 
es in  Europe,  &-c.  which  disclaim  the  headship  of  the 
Roman  pope.  All  those  with  one  mouth  proclaim  that 
the  church  of  Rome  is  not,  and  ought  not  to  be  the  mis- 
tress of  the  world,  or  of  all  other  churches,  but  that  the 
l)0})e  for  la^'ing  such  claim  is  a  usurper,  and  the  anti- 
Christ.  This  is  the  tradition  of  the  Greeks;  of  the  Ab- 
assines, and  the  greatest  part  of  the  church  on  earth 
agree  in  this.  What  then  is  become  of  the  Roman  sov- 
ereignty, by  the  verdict  of  tradition  ;  even  from  the 
vote  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  church  ?  Rome  hath  no 
right  to  its  pretended  sovereignty,  Babylon  is  fallen  by 
the  judgment  of  tradition. 

If  you  say  that  all  those  are  heretics  or  schismatics, 
and  therefore  have  no  vote,  we  answer  :  a  minor  party, 
]>artial  and  corrupt,  seeking  dominion  over  the  rest,  may 
not  step  into  the  tribunal,  and  pass  sentence  against  the 
catholic  church,  or  the  greatest  part  of  it. 

But  your  common  saying  is,  that  the  Greeks, 
Protestants,  and  all  the  rest  were  once  of  your  church, 
and  departing  from  it,  they  can  have  no  tradition 
but  yours.  Go  to  former  ages,  seeing  it  is  not  the 
present  church  whose  voice  you  will  regard.  But 
iiow  shall  we  know  the  way  and  mind  of  the  ages 
past !  If  by  the  present  age,  then  the  greater  part 
giveth  us  their  sense  against  you.     If  by  the  records  of 


130  JUGGLING. 

those   times,   we  arc    content  to  hear  the  testimony  of 
these.     When  we  look   into  the  ancients  we   find  them 
against  you ;  and   no  footsteps  of  your  usurped  sover- 
eignty, but  a  contrary  frame  of  government,  and  a  con- 
sent of  antiquity  ajrainst  it.     When  we   look   into  later 
history  we   find,  how  by  the  advantages  of  Rome's  tem- 
poral greatness  and  the  emperor's  residence  there  your 
greatness   begun,    and   preparation  was   made   to  yout 
usurpation,  and  how  the  translation  of  the  imperial  seat 
to  Constantinople  made  them  your  competitors,  in  the 
claim  of  an  universal   headship  ;  and  how  it  being  once 
made  a  question,  you  got  it  by  a  murdering  emperor  who 
took  your  side    for  his  own  advantage.     It  was  not  till 
Hildcbrand's  days  that  you  could  get  any  possession.    In- 
stead of  apostolical  tradition  for  your  sovereignt\^ ;   eight 
hundred  years  after  the  days  of  Christ,  you  had  not  so 
much  of  the  catholic  church  in  your  subjection,  as  you 
have  now.     At  six  hundred  years  after  Christ  no  known 
part  of  the  world  acknowledged  your  universal  sover- 
eignty;   but  only  the  Latin  western  church  submitted  to 
the  pope  as  their  patriach,  and  the  first  in  order  among 
the  patriarchs.      In  the  days   of    Constantino  and  the 
Nicene  council,  he  was  but  a  bishop  of  the  richest  and 
most  numerous  church  of  Christians  :   and  for  a  hundred 
years  after  Christ,  he  was  no  more  than  the  presbyter  of 
a  particular  church. 

The  Ethiopian  churches  of  Habassia,  the  Indians,  Per- 
sians, <fec.  were  never  your  subjects.  England,  Scot- 
land and  Ireland  were  not  only  long  from  under  you, 
but  resisted  3'ou,  maintaining  the  council  of  Chalcedon 
against  you,  and  joining  with  the  eastern  churches 
against  you,  about  Easter  day.  The  eastern  churches 
also  were  never  your  subjects. 

Canus  Loc.  'Ilicol.  lib.  6.  cap.  7.  saith;  not  only  the 
Greeks,  but  almost  all  the  rest  of  the  bishops  of  the  whole 
world,have  vehemently  sought  to  destroy  the  privileges  of 
the  church  of  Rome  :  and  indeed  they  had  on  their  side, 
both  the  arms  of  emperors,  and  the  greater  number  of 
churches :  and  yet  they  could  never  prevail  to  abrogate 
the  power  of  the  pope  of  Rome.  The  catholic  church 
was  not  then  your  subjects,  when  the  greater  number  of 
churches,  and  most  of  the  bishops  of  the  whole  world,  as 


JESUIT  131 

u  ell  as  Greeks,  were  against  you,  and  vehemently  foutlii 
against  your  protended  privilege's. 

JOiincrius  contra  ^Vuhh m scs  Caial.  in  IjibHotluca 
Patrum,  Tom.  4.  p.  773.  saitli,  tlie  cliurdies  of  the  Ar- 
menians, and  Ethiopians,  and  Indians,  and  tlic  rest 
uliicli  ti;e  apostles  converted,  aie  not  under  the  churcli 
of  Konic.  What  would  you  have  plainer  ?  You  may 
conjecture  at  tiie  nundjers  of  those  churches  by  what 
a  legate  of  the  pope  that  lived  among  them,  saith  of  one 
corner  of  them,  Jacob,  a  Vitriaco  llistor.  Orient,  cap. 
77:  the  churches  in  the  easterly  j>arts  of  Asia  alone  ex- 
ceeded in  multitude  the  Christians  both  of  the  Greek 
and  Latin  Churches.  Alas,  how  little  a  thing  then  was 
the  Roman  church  ! 

If  all  this  were  not  enough,  the  tradition  of  your  own 
church  destroys  the  papacy  utterly.  "A  general  coun- 
cil is  above  the  pope,  and  may  judge  him  and  depose  him ; 
that  is  of  faith,  it  is  heresy  to  deny  it  ;  and  this  is  so  sure 
that  no  wise  man  ever  doubted  it."  Tiiis  is  the  judg- 
ment of  the  general  council  of  Basil,  with  whom  that  of 
Constance  doth  agree.  Whether  those  councils  were 
confirmed  or  not,  they  confess  them  lawfully  called  and 
owned,  and  extraordinarily  full.  So  they  were  their 
church  representative  ;  and  so  the  pope's  sovereignty 
•  over  the  council  is  gone  by  tradition.  If  a  free  general 
council  should  be  called,  all  the  churches  in  the  world 
nmst  be  equally  there  represented  :  and  if  they  were  so, 
then  down  goes  the  usurped  headship  of  the  pope:  for 
most  of  the  churches  in  the  world  are  against  it  :  and 
therefore  in  council  they  would  have  the  major  vote. 
And  thus  by  the  concession  of  the  Roman  representa- 
tive church  the  pope  is  gone  by  tradition. 


CHAPTER     XII. 

Papal  Soveriignly. 

Another  of  the  Roman  frauds  is  this :  The^  persuade 
men  that  the  Greeks,  the  Protestants,  and  all  other 
churches,  icere  once  under  the  Pajjal  sovereignty,  and 


132  JEsuit 

have  separated  themselves  without  any  just  cause : 
and  therefore  we  arc  all  schismatics ;  and  have  no 
vote  in  general  councils,  <fec. 

This  is  a  vain  accusation.  Abundance  of  churclies 
bad  not  any  notable  communion  witb  you.  The  Greek 
churches  withdrew  from  your  communion,  but  not  from 
your  subjection.  If  any  of  the  patriarchs  or  emperors 
of  Constantmople  did  for  carnal  ends  submit  to  you,  it 
was  not  the  act  of  the  churches,  nor  owned,  nor  of  long 
continuance.  So  that  it  w,is  from  your  communion  and 
not  from  your  subjection  that  they  withdrew. 

We  that  are  now  living,  our  fathers  or  our  grandfath- 
ers, were  not  of  your  church:  and  therefore  we  never 
did  withdraw. 

There  were  churches  in  England  before  the  Roman 
power  was  owned  :  therefore  it  was  a  sin  to  change,  the 
first  change  was  the  sin,  when  they  subjected  themselves 
to  you  ;  and  not  the  later,  in  which  they  returned  to 
their  ancient  state. 

The  Germans  or  English  or  whoever  did  relinquish 
you,  have  as  good  reason  for  it,  as  for  the  relinquishing 
of  any  other  sin.  If  they  did  by  the  unhappiness  of  ill 
education  or  delusion,  submit  to  the  usurped  sovereignty 
of  the  pope  they  had  no  reason  to  continue  in  such  an 
error.  Repentance  is  not  vice,  w  hen  the  thing  repented 
of  is  a  vice.  Justify  therefore  your  usurpation,  or  else 
it  is  in  vain  to  be  angry  with  us  for  not  adhering  to  the 
usurper,  and  the  many  corruptions  that  he  brought  into 
the  church. 


CHAPTER     XIII. 

Schisin. 

Another  deceit  that  they  manage  with  great  confi- 
dence is  this :  Jf  the  church  of  Rome  be  the  true 
church  :  then  yours  is  not  the  true  churchy  arid  then 
you  arc  schismatics  in  sepcrating  from  it :  but  the 
church  of  Rome  is  the  true  church;  for  you  will  con- 
fess it  was  a  true  church,  when  Paul  wrote  the  epistle 


JUOOLINC.  13.*^ 

to  the  Romans  :  and  if  it  ceased  to  be  a  true  churchy 
tell  us  when  it  ceased^  if  t/oii  can  :  if  it  ceased  to  be  a 
true  church,  it  was  either  by  heresy,  or  schism,  or 
apostacy, 

A  mail  would  think  that  cliildron  can  sec  the  pal- 
pable fallacy  ef  this  argument ;  and  yet  of  few  do  the 
learned  Papists  make  more  use.  The  deceit  lieth  in 
the  ambiguity  of  the  word  church.  It  is  taken  often  in 
Scripture  for  one  particular  church,  associated  for  per- 
sonal communioH  in  God''s  worship.  And  thus  there 
were  many  churches  in  a  country,  as  Judca,  and  Galatia. 
It  is  taken  by  ecclesiastical  writers  often  for  an  associ- 
ation of  many  of  those  churches  for  communion  by 
their  pastors ;  such  as  were  diocesan,  provincial,  national 
churches  ;  whereof  most  were  then  ruled  by  assemblies, 
where  a  bishop,  archbishop,  metropolitan  or  partriarch, 
as  they  called  them  did  preside.  It  is  taken  in  Scrip- 
ture for  the  body  of  Christ  ;  the  holy  catholic  or  uni- 
versal church  containing  all  true  believers  as  mystical, 
or  all  professors  of  true  faith  as  visible.  It  is  taken  by 
the  Papists  for  one  particular  church  lohich  is  the  mis- 
tress or  ruler  of  cdl  other  churches^ 

If  the  question  be  of  a  true  particular  church,  we 
grant  that  the  church  of  Rome  was  a  true  and  noble 
church,  in  the  days  of  Paul  and  long  after  ;  and  thus 
Paul  ownetli  it  in  his  epistle  as  a  true  church.  To 
die  question  when  it  ceased  to  be  a  true  church :  I  an- 
swer, what  matter  is  it  to  us  whether  it  ceased  or  not, 
any  more  than  whether  Corinth,  Ephesus,  Coloses,  Thes- 
salonica,  or  Jerusalem  be  true  churches  or  be  ceased  ?  In 
charity  we  regard  them  all:  but  otherwise  what  is  it  to 
the  faith  or  salvation  of  the  world,  whether  Rome  or  any 
one  of  those  be  yet  a  true  church,  or  ceased  ?  I  know 
not  that  there  is  any  church  at  Coloses  or  Philippi,  or 
some  other  places  that  had  then  true  churches  :  and  doth 
it  therefore  follow  that  I  am  not  a  true  believer?  What 
would  you  say  to  one  who  should  argue  thus  concerning 
other  churches,  as  those  men  do  of  Rome  ?  and  say,  if 
Philippi,  be  a  true  church,  then  England  has  no  true 
churches,  if  it  be  not,  when  did  it  cease  to  be  a  true 
church  ?  Would  you  not  answer  him  :  what  is  it  to  me 
whether  Philippi  be  a  true  church  or  not?  may  not  w** 

12 


i34  JESUIT 

and  they  be  both  true  churches  ?  how  j)rovc  you  that  ? 
and  wlietlier  it  be  ceased  or  not  ceased,  doth  no  whit 
concern  my  faitii  or  salvation,  fartlier  than  as  my  chari- 
ty is  to  be  exercised  towards  them.  So  say  we  of  Rome, 
it  was  a  true  particular  church  in  the  apostle's  days.  And 
if  it  be  still  a  true  church  what  hinders  but  we  may  be 
so  too?  But  whether  it  be  so  or  not,  is  little  to  me.  It 
concerneth  not  my  faith  or  salvation  to  know  whether* 
there  be  any  such  place  as  Rome  on  earth,  or  whether 
it  were  consumed  long  ago.  If  a  man  were  so  simple  as 
to  believe  a  report  that  Rome  was  destroyed  by  Charles 
of  Bourbon,  and  never  inhabited,  or  had  a  pope  since, 
he  were  but  such  a  heretic  as  Pope  Zachary  and  Bishop 
Boniface  made  of  Virgilius,  for  holding  there  be  anti- 
podes. 

If  you  take  the  word  church  for  a  diocesan  or  pa- 
triarchal church,  or  association  of  churches;  supposing 
such  forms  proved  warrantable,  the  same  answer  serveth 
as  to  the  first. 

But  if  by  a  true  church  you  mean  either  the  whole 
universal  church:  or  a  mistress  church  that  must  rule  all 
ihe  rest,  there  never  was  such  a  church  in  Paul's  days. 

Therefore  we  turn  this  argument  of  the  Papists  against 
themselves.  If  the  church  of  Rome  itcre  neither  the 
ivhole  catholic  church,  nor  the  inistress  of  all  other 
churches  lohen  Paul  wrote  his  epistle  to  them,  then  it 
is  not  so  now,  nor  ought  to  be  so  accounted.  That  the 
church  of  Rome  was  not  the  whole  catholic  church  then, 
no  man  can  doubt,  that  reads  what  a  church  there  was 
at  Jerusalem,  what  a  church  at  Ephcsus,  and  Philadel- 
phia, Smyrna,  Thyatira,  Laodicea,  Corinth,  and  abun- 
dance more.  Where  doth  Paul  once  name  them  either 
the  catholic  church,  or  the  mistress  or  ruler  of  all  churches'? 
or  give  the  least  hint  of  any  such  thing?  or  mention  any 
pope  among  them  whom  the  wliole  world  was  to  take  to 
be  their  sovereign  head  ?  Is  it  not  an  incredible  thing  that 
Paul,  and  all  the  apostles  would  forget  to  make  any 
mention  of  this  privilege,  or  teach  them  how  to  use  it, 
or  teach  other  churches  ther  duty  in  obeying  the  churcli 
of  Rome,  if  indeed  they  had  been  made  the  mistress 
church  ?  Men  that  can  believe  what  they  list,  may  say 
what  they  list.     But  for   my  part  I  will  never  accuse 


JUGGLING.  135 

l*aul  anil  all  the  apostles,  of  so  great  oblivion  or  negli- 
gence. And  therefore  I  conclude,  Rome  was  neither 
the  universal  churcli,  nor  the  mistress  church  then,  and 
therefore  it  is  not  so  to  he  accoinited  now. 

But  tiie  matter  of  the?  Roman  church  must  he  distin- 
guished from  its  iww  political  form.  For  the  matter,  so 
many  of  its  members  as  are  true  christians,  are  part  of 
the  catholic  church  of  Christ  tiiough  not  the  whole.  But 
as  to  the  |)olitical  form  of  the  Roman  church,  as  it  is  a 
body  kcaded  by  one  claiming  an  universal  monarchy,  so 
the  form  is  false  and  anticin-istian,  and  therefore  the 
church  as  Papal  can  bo  no  better. 

This  is  our  answer  to  the  question,  wliethcr  the  church 
of  Rome,  be  a  true  church  1  There  arc  I  doubt  not 
among  them  many  true  members  of  the  catholic  church, 
though  I  am  confident  that  salvation  is  much  more  rare 
and  dilTicult  with  them,  than  it  is  with  the  reformed  cath- 
olics ;  but  tlie  pope  as  a  pretended  universal  monarch  is 
a  false  head,  and  consequently  their  Papal  church,  as 
such,  is  a  false  antichristian  church,  and  no  true  church 
of  Jesus  Christ. 


CHAPTER     XIV. 

Another  great  endeavor  of  the  Papists  is,  to  make, 
men  believe  that  they  only  have  a  fixedness  ^unity^  consis- 
tency and  scttlcdness  in  religion  :  but  we  arc  still  ai 
uncertainty,  incoherent,  not  tied  together  by  any  certain 
bond,  but  still  upon  divisons,  and  upon  change. 

Is  this  difieronco  so  great  a  business  ?  Do  not  those 
cheaters  know,  that  if  for  this  they  would  reproach  us, 
they  must  do  so  by  themselves  1  Know  they  not  that 
among  their  own  schoolmen  there  is  the  same  difference  ? 
and  know  they  not  that  if  differences  in  ceremonies  or 
modes  should  unchurch  us,  or  disgrace  us,  it  would  fall 
as  foul  on  the  whole  catholic  church,  in  the  very  primi- 
tive times  ?  Did  they  never  read  of  the  difference  be- 
tween the  Asian  and   the  Roman  churches,   about  the 


t36  JESUIT 

celebration  of  Easter  day,  and  how  Polycrates  and  the 
rest  did  plead  tradition  against  the  church  of  Rome's 
tradition ;  how  IrencX'Us  did  reprehend  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  for  his  uncharitable  censure  of  the  churches  for  so 
small  a  difference  ?  and  how  Polycarp  and  Anicetus 
Bishop  of  Rome  could  not  agree,  as  building  upon 
contrary  traditions  :  but  yet  maintained  Christian  peace  ; 
Euschius  Lib.  5.  Hist.  Eccl.  cap.  26.  The  English  and 
Scottish  churches  long  after  that  adhered  to  the  Asian 
way ;  even  after  the  council  of  Nice  had  ended  the 
controversy  on  the  Roman  side.  Who  knows  not  how 
many  more  controversies  greater  than  those  of  ours  have 
been  among  the  churches  of  Christ,  without  their  un- 
churching or  disparagement  to  religion  ? 

For  the  doctrinal  controversies,  most  of  them  lie  more 
in  words  than  in  sense,  and  all  of  them  are  far  from  the 
foundation,  though  they  be  about  Christ,  who  is  the 
foundation.  Those  of  us  that  say  Christ  died  for  all, 
and  those  that  say  he  died  not  for  all,  do  agree  as  your 
schoolmen  do,  that  he  died  for  all,  as  to  the  sufficiency 
of  his  death  and  price  :  but  he  died  not  for  all  as  to  the 
actual  efficiency  of  pardon  and  salvation  :  is  not  this 
•your  doctrine  ?  and  is  not  this  ours  1  and  are  you  not  as 
much  disagreed  about  it  as  we  ?  what  else  meant  the 
late  decision  against  the  Jansenists  1  and  the  persecution 
of  them  in  France  1  And  yet  have  you  the  face  to 
make  this  a  reproach  of  us  .'*  For  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  we  are  commonly  agreed  that  it  is  both  his  obe- 
dience and  passion  that  we  are  justified  and  saved  by  : 
though  we  are  not  all  of  a  mind  about  the  reason  of  their 
several  interests. 

For  different  forms  of  worship  those  men  do  wilfully 
forget  what  a  number  of  offices  and  Mass  books  have 
been  among  themselves  and  other  churches :  and  the 
number  of  Litanies  or  Lituriiies  of  several  a<res  and 
churches  they  have  given  us. 

As  for  the  changes  and  unfixedness  which  they  charge 
us  with,  we  are  contented  that  our  principles  and  our 
practices  be  compared  with  the  Papists,  and  then  let 
modest  and  judicious  enemies  be  judges  which  of  us  are 
more  fixed,  or  more  mutable. 

For  our  principles,  we  take  only  Christ  to  be  the  chief 


jrooLiNG.  137 

foundation  of  our  faith,  and  liis  inspired  pro|)hets  and 
apostles  to  be  tiio  secondary  foundation  :  wliercas  tiic 
Papists  build  upon  many  a  most  ungodly  man,  because 
he  is  the  Pope  of  Rome.  Which  of  those  is  the  firmer 
foundation  ? 

We  take  nothing;  for  our  rule  but  tlie  sure  word  of 
God  contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures :  but  the  Papists 
take  the  decrees  of  all  popes  and  councils  for  their  rule. 
Our  rule  they  confess  to  be  divine  and  infallible :  their 
rule  we  affirm  to  be  human  and  fallible.  Which 
then  is  like  to  be  more  firm  ?  Our  rule  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  in  the  original  languages,  as  to  the  words, 
and  the  matter  of  them,  as  to  the  sense,  the  Papists 
themselves  confess  is  unchangeable  ;  but  they  will  not 
say  as  much  of  their  own  ;  that  alteration  which  Pope 
Sixtu>,  and  Pope  Clement  made  in  the  vulgar  Latin 
Bible,  which  is  one  part  of  their  rule,  and  the  other  part 
is  their  decrees,  of  which  Pope  Leo.  X.  Bulla  contr. 
Luth.  saith,  the  popes  our  predecessors  never  erred  in 
their  canons  and  constitutions.  And  yet  Pope  Julius 
IL  said  is  his  general  council  at  the  Lateran  with  their 
approbation,  Cont.  pragmaf.  sand,  monitor. — Though 
the  institutions  of  sacred  canons,  holy  fathers,  and  popes 
of  Rome — and  their  decrees  be  judged  immutable,  as 
made  by  divine  inspiration  ;  yet  the  pope  of  Rome,  who, 
thouch  of  unequal  merits,  holdcth  the  place  of  the  eter- 
nal king,  and  the  maker  of  all  things,  and  all  laws  on 
earth,  may  abrogate  these  decrees  when  they  are  abused. 

You  see  here  from  the  mouth  of  infallibility  itself,  if 
the  Roman  faith  have  any,  of  what  continuance  we  may 
judire  their  immutable  decrees  to  be,  which  are  made  as 
by  divine  inspiration:  they  are  immutable  till  the  pope 
abrogate  them,  who  being  in  God's  place,  is  of  power 
to  do  it. 

We  have  a  rule  tliat  was  perfected  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  to  which  nothing  can  be  added,  and  therefore 
we  are  at  a  certainty  for  our  religion :  for  we  have  a 
sure  and  perfect  rule  from  heaven.  Nothing  may  be  ad- 
ded to  it,  or  taken  from  it.  But  the  Papists  do  profess 
that  the  determinations  of  the  pope  or  council  may  make 
a  point,  and  so  five  thousand  points,  for  there  is  no  cer- 
tain  number,  to    be  articles   of  faith,    and  necessary  to 

12* 


188  JESUIT 

salvation.  So  that  the  Papists  never  know  when  their 
faith  is  perfect  and  grown  to  its  full  stature.  For  ought 
they  know  a  thousand  more  articles  may  be  added. 
And  yet  these  men  of  uncertain  growing  faith,  have  the 
face  to  persuade  men  that  we  are  mutable,  and  they  are 
fixed. 

We  never  changed  our  head,  our  Lord,  our  faith,  or 
one  article  of  our  faith  :  if  malice  itself  be  able  to  charge 
us  with  changing  the  smallest  article  of  our  faith,  let 
them  say  their  worst :  we  change  not  our  rule,  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  nor  one  clause  or  sentence  of  it,  but  endeav- 
or the  preservation  of  the  same,  which  at  the  first  we  re- 
ceived. In  our  contests  with  the  Papists,  our  great  of- 
fence is  at  their  mutation  from  the  ancient  rule  and  way  ; 
we  contend  but  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints : 
the  old  way  with  us  is  the  good  way :  we  abhor  a 
new  religion.  If  we  change  in  any  thing,  it  is 
but  by  repenting  of  our  former  changeableness  wliile 
our  nation  was  Popish  ;  having  then  changed  from  the 
apostolic  simplicii}^,  we  change  from  that  sinful  change, 
and  return  to  the  ancient  way  again.  And  if  we  have 
made  any  further  changes  since  our  first  cliange  at  the 
reformation,  it  is  but  perfecting  the  change  to  antiquity 
and  apostolic  simplicity,  which  we  tiien  begun.  Rome 
was  not  built  in  one  day,  and  is  not  pulled  down  in  a 
day.  The  work  of  reformation  is  but  one  change, 
though  it  be  not  done  all  at  one  time.  If  we  find  some 
spots  of  Romish  dirt  upon  us,  that  escaped  us  at  our 
first  washing,  it  is  no  dangerous  mutability  yet  to  wash  it 
ofl.  If  a  man  converted  by  saving  grace  be  not  perfect- 
ly rid  of  all  his  former  sin  the  first  day  of  his  conversion, 
should  he  be  reproached  as  mutable  for  striving  against 
it  all  his  life  after,  and  casting  it  ofl'  by  degrees  as  he  is 
able  ?  If  a  man  did  but  recover  by  degrees  from  the 
relics  of  his  disease,  they  will  not  therefore  rej)roach  him 
as  mutable.  If  he  sweep  the  dust  or  dirt  out  of  his  house 
every  day,  they  will  not  say,  he  is  mutable,  and  knows 
not  where  to  rest.  Those  men  might  as  well  reproach 
us  as  mutable,  because  we  rise  in  the  morning  and  do 
not  still  lie  in  bed  ;  or  because  we  go  to  bed  at  nicrht, 
and  do  not  stay  up  entirely. 

But  what  is  it  that  we  are  changeable  in  1     We  have 


JUGGLING.  130 

changed  none  of  the  substance  of  worship:  did  we  ha|)- 
tiso  befoiv,  and  do  we  not  so  still  1  did  we  pray  or  admin- 
ister tiie  Lord's  Supper  before,  and  do  we  not  still  ]  what 
is  the  change  1     Do  these  men  think  us  so  sottish  as  to 
place  our  relitrion  in  circumstances  1     God   hath  bid  us 
pray  contiiuially:   but  he   hath    not  told    us  whether  we 
shall   use  a  prayer-book  or   not,  but  left    that  to  men's 
necessities  or  conveniences  to  determine.     Doth  a  man 
change  his  religion  or  worshij)  of  Ciod,  if  he  either  begin 
or  cease  to  use  a  book]  but  whether  we  use   them,  or 
not  use  them,  is  no  part  of  our  religion  at  all,  but  a  mere 
accident,  or  common  helj)  and  a|)purtenance.      God  hath 
not  told  jireachers  whether  they  shall  use  notes  for  their 
memory  in   |)reaching  :  to    one  it  is  a  hindrance,  to  an- 
other a  help.      Doth  a  man  change  his  religion    when 
he  changeth  a  custom  of  using  notes'?   God  hath  not  told 
us  what  chapter  we  shall  read,  or  what  psalm  we  shall 
sing,  or  what  text  we  shall  jireach  on  this  day  or  that 
day.     What  if  one  age  think  it  best   that   pastors  shall 
read  no  chapter  preach  on  no  text,  and  sing  no  psalm 
but  by  direction  :  and  the  next  age  think  it  meeter  to 
leave  that  to  each  minister,  as  thinking  it  unfit  to  ordain 
such  ministers  as  have  not   wit  enough  to  choose  their 
text,  chapter,  or  psalm  according  to  occasions.     Will  you 
say  that   here  is  a  change   of  religion  1     These  outside 
hypocrites  tell  the  world  what  a  thing  they  take  religion 
to  be,  and  in  what   they  place  it.     What  if  one  read  a 
chapter  with  spectacles,  and  another  without,  or  if  one 
preach  in  a  pulpit,  and  another  below  :  or  if  one  preach 
in   a  white    garment,   and   another   in  a  black  :   are    we 
therefore  of  several  religions  1  or  is  this  any  part  of  the 
worship  itselfl  do  we  not  all  stand  or  sit  at  the  hearing 
of  a  sermon,  as  we  please?  do  we  not  kneel  or  stand  at 
prayer   as  we   please  1  Yea,  do  not   men  commonly  in 
singing  psalms  or  prayer  or  praise  to  God,  sit  or  stand 
as    they   please  ?     Doth    standing,    kneeling,  or  sitting 
make  another  religion,  or  any  part  of  it?     And  for  mar- 
rying, burying,  baptising,  and  the  rest,  we  have  altered 
no   part  at  all  of  the   worship  of  God  ;  what  ignorant 
souls  are  these,  that  think  that  the  using  a  book,  or  a  ges- 
ture, or  certain  words  to  the  same  sense,  make  difl'erent 
religion,  or  ordinances  of  worship?     Those    are  tricks 


i40  JESUIT 

that  none  but  the  ignorant  will  be  deluded  with,  that 
know  not  what  religion  or  worship  is.  They  may  as 
well  say  if  I  cliange  my  lecture  day  from  Thursday  to 
Friday,  that  I  change  my  religion  or  the  worship  of  God. 

But  they  have  changed  the  very  essence  of  their 
church  ;  the  officers,  the  doctrine,  the  discipline,  the 
worship,  as  though  they  had  been  born  for  change,  to 
turn  all  upside  down. 

In  the  primitive  times  the  church  had  no  universal 
monarch  but  Christ:  but  they  have  set  up  a  new  uni- 
versal monarch  at  Rome. 

In  tlic  primitive  times  the  catholic  church  was  the 
universality  of  Christians :  they  have  changed  it  to  be 
only  the  subjects  of  the  pope. 

in.  the  primitive  times  Rome  was  but  a  particular 
church  as  Jerusalem  and  other  churches  were  :  but  they 
have  changed   it,  to  be  the  mistress  of  all  churches. 

For  many  hundred  years  after  Christ,  the  Scripture 
was  taken  to  be  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith :  but  the}'  have 
changed  it  to  be  hni  part  of  the  rule. 

In  the  ancient  church  all  sorts  were  earnestly  exhor- 
ted to  read,  or  hear,  and  study  the  Scripture  in  a  known 
tonsfue  :  but  they  have  changed  that  into  a  desperate  re- 
straint, proclaiming  it  the  cause  of  all  heresies. 

In  the  ancient  church  the  bread  and  wine  was  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  representative  and  relitive: 
but  they  have  changed  it  into  the  real  body  and  blood. 

Heretofore  there  was  bread  and  wine  remaining  after 
the  words  of  consecration  :  but  they  have  changed  so, 
that  there  remaineth  neither  bread  nor  wine,  but  the 
({ualities  and  quantity,  without  the  substance,  and  this 
must  be  believed,  because  they  say  it,  against  Scripture 
and  antiquity,  and  sense  itself. 

In  the  ancient  church  the  Lord^s  Suppc?  ?vas  admin- 
istered in  both  kinds,  bread  and  wine  to  all :  but  they 
have  lately  changed  this  into  one  kind  only  to  the  peo- 
))le,  denying  them  one  half  of  the  sacrament. 

Of  old  the  Lord^s  Supper  was  but  the  commemora- 
tion of  the  sacificc  of  Christ  upon  the  cross,  and  a 
sacrament  of  our  communion  icith  him  and  his  members: 
but  now  they  have  changed  it  into  a  propitiatory  sa- 
critice  for   the  sins  of  the  quick  and  dead  :   and   in  it 


JUGGLING.  141 

they  adore  a  piece  of  bread  as  very  God,  wiili  divine 
uorsliip. 

Of  old,  men  were  tauglit  to  make  daili/  ronfrssfon 
of  shi,  and  bcf^  pardun  ;  and  when  they  had  done  all, 
to  confess  themselves  unprofitable  servants  :  but  now 
they  are  so  chanircd,  that  they  pretend  not  only  to  be 
perfect  without  sin,  and  to  merit  by  the  condignity  of 
their  works  with  God,  but  to  supererogate  and  be  more 
perfect  than  innocence  could  make  them,  by  doing  more 
than  their  duty. 

Of  old  those  things  wore  accounted  sins  deserving 
hell,  and  needing  the  blood  of  Christ  for  pardon,  which 
now  are  changed  into  venial  sins,  which  properly  are  no 
sins,  and  deserve  no  more  than  temporal  punishment. 

Of  old  the  saints  had  no  proper  merits  to  plead  for 
themselves ;  and  now  men  have  some  to  spare  for  the 
buying  of  souls  out  of  purgatory. 

Of  old  the  pastors  of  churches  were  subject  to  the  rul- 
ers of  the  commonwealth;  even  every  soul,  not  only  for 
wrath,  but  for  conscience'  sake  was  obliged  to  be  sub- 
ject :  but  now  all  the  clergy  are  exempted  from  secular 
judgment,  and  the  secular  power  is  subject  to  them  :  for 
the  pope  hath  power  to  depose  princes,  and  dispossess 
them  of  their  dominions,  and  put  others  in  their  room, 
and  dissolve  the  bonds  of  oaths  and  covenants,  in  which 
the  subjects  were  obliged  to  them,  and  to  allow  men  to 
murder  them. 

I  might  fill  a  volume  with  all  the  changes  they  have 
made  in  doctrines,  and  church  orders,  and  discipline, 
and  religious  orders  and  their  discipline,  and  in  worship 
and  ceremonies.  Their  Liturgy  or  Mass-book  hath  been 
changed,  and  abundance  of  additions  it  iiath  had  since 
the  beginning  of  it. 

Now  I  am  content  that  any  impartial  man  shall  judge 
whether  Papists  or  the  reformed  churches  are  the  more 
mutable  and  unsettled  in  their  religion  ?  and  which  of 
them  is  at  the  greater  certaintv,  firmness,  and  immuta> 
bility  ] 


142  JESUIT 

CHAPTER     XV. 

J^oveUy  and  Succession. 

xVnotlier  fraud  of  the  Papists,  vvliich  they  place  not 
the  least  of  their  confidence  in,  is  this  :  the^  persuade 
the  i^cople  that  our  church  and  religion  are  but  neto^ 
of  the  other  day''s  invention :  and  that  theirs  is  the 
only  old  religion.  And  therefore  they  call  upon  us  to 
give  them  a  catalogue  of  the  professors  of  our  religion 
in  all  ages  ;  which  they  pretend  we  cannot  do  :  and  ask 
us  where  our  church  was  before  Luther. 

To  this  we  sliall  give  them  a  hrief  but  satisfactory 
answer.  We  are  so  fully  assured  that  the  oldest  relig- 
ion is  the  best  since  the  date  of  the  Gospel,  that  we  are 
contented  our  whole  cause  shall  stand  or  fall  by  this  tri- 
al. Let  him  be  esteemed  of  the  true  religion,  that  is  of 
the  oldest  religion.  This  is  the  main  difference  between 
us  and  the  Papists.  We  are  for  no  religion  that  is  not 
as  old  as  the  days  of  the  apostles  :  but  the\^  are  for  the 
novelties  and  additions  of  popes  and  councils.  Poly- 
dore  Virgil  Inv en.  Rcrum,  lib.  8.  c.  4.  calling  us  a  sect, 
gives  3'ou  a  just  description  of  us,  ''''having  once  got 
leave  to  speak  that  sect  did  marvelously  increase  in  a 
short  time;  ivhich  is  called  evangelical,  because  they 
affirm  that  no  law  is  to  be  received  which  belongeth  to 
salvation,  but  what  is  give?!  by  Christ  or  the  apostles.'''' 
Yet  these  very  men  hav^e  the  face  to  charge  us  with  nov- 
elty ;  as  if  Christ  and  his  apostles  were  not  of  sufficient 
antiquity  for  them.  Our  main  quarrel  with  them  is,  for 
adding  new  inventions  in  religion,  and  their  principal 
business  against  us  is  to  defend  it,  and  yet  they  call 
theirs  the  oM  religion,  and  ours  the  new. 

That  which  is  most  conformed  to  the  doctrine  and 
practice  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  is  the  truly  ancient 
religion  and  church.  But  our  religion  and  church  is 
most  conformed  to  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  apos- 
tles :  therefore  it  is  the  truly  ancient  religion  and  church. 

That  religion  which  is  most  conformed  to  the  Holy 
Scripture  is  most  conformed  to  the  doctrine  and  practice 
of  Christ  and  his  apostles.     But  our  religion  and  churches 


JUGGLING.  143 

arc  most  coiilbrined  to  the  Holy  Scrii)tiiics.  Tiiey  c;iu 
say  nothing  against  tiiis  but  that  the  Scri[)turc  is  insuf- 
ficient without  tradition  :  hut  wo  have  no  rule  of  faith 
which  is  not  hy  themselves  confessed  to  he  true:  they  ac- 
knowledge Scripture  to  he  tlu;  true  word  of  God  ;  so 
that  the  truth  of  our  ride  is  justified  hy  themselves.  Let 
tiiem  sliow  us  as  good  evidence  that  their  additional  ar- 
ticles of  faith  or  laws  of  life  came  from  the  apostles,  as 
we  do  that  the  Scriptures  came  from  them,  and  then 
we  shall  confess  that  we  come  short  of  them.  Let  tlicm 
take  the  controversies  between  us  point  by  point,  and 
hriuir  their  proof,  and  we  will  bring  ours,  and  let  tliat 
religion  carry  it  that  is  apostolical.  Tlieir  traditions  in 
matter  of  faith  superadded  to  the  Scripture,  are  mere 
heretical  or  erroneous  forgeries,  and  they  can  give  us  no 
proof  that  ever  they  were  apostolical.  The  Scripture 
alTu'meth  its  own  sufficiency  ;  and  therefore  excludeth 
tlieir  traditions.  In  their  own  general  council  at  Basil, 
the  Scripture  sufficiency  was  defended.  The  ancient 
fathers  were  for  the  sufficency  of  Scripture.  Their  tra- 
ditions are  the  opinions  of  a  dividing  sect,  contrary  to 
the  traditions  or  doctrine  of  the  present  catholic  church : 
the  far  greater  jmrt  of  Christians  being  against  them. 
For  some  hundred  years  after  Christ,  most  of  their  pre- 
tended traditions  were  unknown  or  abhorred  by  the 
Christian  church,  and  no  such  things  were  in  being 
among  them.  The  chief  points  of  controversy  maintain- 
ed against  us,  are  not  only  without  Scripture,  but  against 
it,  and  thence  we  have  full  particular  evidence  to  dis- 
prove them.  If  the  Scri[)tures  be  true,  as  they  confess 
them  to  be,  then  no  tradition  can  be  apostolical  or  true, 
that  is  contrary  to  them.  The  Papist's  tradition  is,  that 
the  clergy  is  exempt  from  the  magistrate's  judgment : 
but  the  Holy  Scriptures  saitii,  Jet  tvcri/  soul  he  subject 
to  the  higher  powers,  Rom.  xiii.  The  Papists'  tradition 
is  for  serving  God  lyublichj  in  an  unhioum  tongue  :  but 
the  Holy  Scripture  is  fully  against  it.  Their  tradition  is 
against  laymen's  reading  the  Scripture  in  a  known  tongue, 
without  special  license  from  their  ordinary  :  but  Scrip- 
ture and   all  antiquity  are  against  them. 

These  seven  ways  we  know  tiieir  traditions  to  be  de- 
ceitful ;  because  they  are  unproved ;  against  the  sufficien- 


144  JESUIT 

cy  of  Scripture,  their  own  former  confessions,  and  the 
consent  of  the  fathers  ;  contrary  to  the  judgment  of  the 
catholic  church  ;  once  the  church  was  without  them  ; 
and  many  of  them  are  contrary  to  express  Scripture. 

If  Scripture  will  show  which  of  us  is  nearest  the  doc- 
trine and  practice  of  the  apostles,  then  the  controversy 
is  ended.  For  we  provoke  them  to  try  the  cause  by 
Scripture,  and  they  deny  it.  We  profess  it  is  the  rule 
and  test  of  our  religion;  but  they  appeal  to  another  rule 
and  test.     Thus  you   may  see  which  is  the  old  religion. 

Our  church  and  religion  have  continued  from  the  days 
of  Christ  till  now.  The  promise  of  Christ  cannot  be 
broken.  Christ  promised  in  his  word,  that  that  church 
and  religion  which  are  most  conformed  to  the  Scriptures, 
shall  continue  to  the  end  :  but  our  church  and  religion 
are  most  conformed  to  the  Scripture  :  therefore  Christ 
hath  promised  that  it  shall  continue  to  the  end. 

The  Christian  religion  and  catholic  church  have  con- 
tinued from  the  days  of  Christ  till  now.  But  ours  is  the 
Christian  religion,  and  catholic  church  :  therefore  ours 
hath  continued  from  the  days  of  Christ  until  now.  That 
religion  which  hath  all  the  essentials  of  Christianity,  and 
doth  not  deny  or  destroy  any  essential  part  of  it,  is  the 
Christian  Religion.  That  religion  which  the  apostles 
were  of  is  the  Christian  religion.  They  who  believe  all 
that  is  in  the  Holy  Scripture  are  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion ;   but  thus  do  the  reformed  churches  believe. 

They  who  are  of  that  one  holy  catholic  church,  where 
Christ  is  the  head  and  all  true  Christians  are  members, 
are  of  the  true  church ;  for  there  is  but  one  catholic 
church. 

They  who  are  sanctified,  and  justified,  have  the  love  of 
God  in  them,  are  members  of  the  true   catholic  church  : 
but  such  are  all  that  are   sincere  professors   of  our  reli- 
gion. 

But  all  this  will  not  serve  them  without  telling  them 
where  our  church  was  before  Luther:  to  this  we  an- 
swer we  have  no  peculiar  catholic  church  of  our 
own  ;  for  there  is  but  one,  and  that  is  our  church :  where- 
ever  the  christian  church  was,  there  was  our  church. 
Wherever  any  Christians  were  congregated  for  God's 
worship,  there  were  churches  of  Uie  same  sort,  as  our 


jrflKGLlNQ.  145 

particular  churches.  Wherever  Christianity  was,  there 
our  religion  was  ;  for  we  know  no  religion  but  Chris- 
tianity. Would  you  have  us  give  a  catalogue  of  all 
the  Christians  in  the  world  since  Christ  ?  Or  would  you 
liave  us  as  vain  as  Tuherville  who  names  some  popes, 
about  twenty  professors  of  their  faith  in  each  age,  as  if 
twenty  or  thirty  men  were  the  catholic  church  :  or  as 
if  those  men  were  proved  to  be  Papists  by  his  naming 
them  ? 

Our  religion  is  Christianity.  Christianity  hath  cer- 
tain essentials,  without  which  no  man  can  be  a  Christian  ; 
and  it  hath  moreover  many  precious  truths,  and  duties 
necessary  to  the  better  being  of  a  Christian.  Our  being 
as  Christians  is  in  the  former  ;  and  our  strength  and  in- 
crease and  better  being  are  much  in  the  latter.  From  the 
former,  religion  and  the  church  are  denominated.  Our 
implicit  and  actual  explicit  belief,  as  the  papists  call 
them,  must  be  distinguished  ;  or  our  general  and  our 
particular  belief.  And  also  the  positives  of  our  belief 
must  be  distinguished  from  the  implied  negatives  ;  and 
the  express  articles  themselves,  from  their  implied  con- 
sectaries. 

Now  I  shall  tell  3'ou  where  our  church  hath  been  in 
all  ages  since    the  birth  of  Christ. 

In  the  days  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  our  church  was 
where  they  and  all  Christians  were  :  and  our  religion  was 
with  them  in  all  its  parts,  both  essential  and  perfective. 
That  is,  we  now  believe  all  to  be  true  that  was  delivered 
by  the  apostles  as  from  God,  with  a  general  faith  ;  and 
ail  the  essentials  and  as  much  more  as  we  can  under- 
stand, with  a  particular  faith.  But  we  cannot  say  that 
with  such  a  particular  faith  we  believe  all  that  the  apos- 
tles belieN-TDd  or  delivered  ;  for  then  we  must  say  that 
we  h.ave  the  same  degree  of  understanding  as  they  ;  and 
that  we  understand  every  word  of  the  Scriptures, 

In  the  days  of  the  apostles  themselves,  the  consecta- 
ries,  and  implied  verities,  and  rejection  of  all  heresies 
were  not  particularly  and  expressly  delivered  either  in 
Scripture  or  tradition. 

In  the  next  ages  after  the  apostles,  our  church  was  the 
one  catholic  church,  containing  all  true  Christians,  headed 
by  Jesus  Christ :  and  every  such  Christian  was  a  mem- 

13 


146  JESUIT 

ber  of  it.  The  essential  parts  of  our  religion  were  con* 
tained  both  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  in  the  public 
professions,  ordinances,  and  practices  of  the  church  in 
those  ages,  which  you  call  traditions;  and  the  rest  of  it, 
even  all  the  doctrines  of  faith  and  universal  laws  of  God, 
which  are  its  perfective  parts,  were  fully  contained  in 
the  Holy  Scripture.  And  some  of  our  rejections  and 
consectaries,  were  then  gathered  and  owned  by  the 
church,  as  heresies  occasioned  the  expressing  of  them: 
and  the  rest  were  all  implied  in  the  apostolical  Scrip- 
ture doctrine  which  they  preserved. 

By  degrees  many  errors  crept  into  the  church  :  so, 
that  neither  the  catholic  church,  nor  one  true  Christian 
did  reject  any  essential  part  of  Christianity.  All  parts  of 
the  church  were  not  alike  corrupted  with  error,  but  some 
more,  and  some  less.  The  whole  church  held  the  Holy 
Scripture  itself,  and  so  had  a  perfect  general  or  implicit 
belief,  even  while  by  evil  consequences  they  oppugned 
many  parts  of  their  own  profession. 

When  in  process  of  time  by  claiming  the  universal 
sovereignty,  Rome  had  introduced  a  new  pretended 
catholic  church,  by  superadding  a  new  head  and  form, 
there  was  then  a  two-fold  church  in  the  West;  the  Chris- 
tian as  Christian  headed  by  Christ ;  and  the  Papal  as 
Papal  headed  by  the  pope  ;  and  by  that  usurped  monarchy 
they  endeavored  to  make  but  one  of  them,  by  making  both 
the  heads  essential,  when  before  one  only  was  tolerable. 
If  the  matter  in  any  part  may  be  the  same  ;  and  the 
same  man  may  be  a  Christian  and  a  Papist,  and  so  the 
same  assemblies  :  yet  still  the  forms  are  various :  and 
as  Christians  and  part  of  the  catholic  church,  they  arc 
one  thing:  but  as  Papists  and  members  of  the  separat- 
ing sect,  they  are  another  thing. 

In  the  time  of  the  Romish  usurpation,  our  church  was 
visible  in  the  Imvest  degree  among  the  Papists  them- 
selves, not  as  Papists,  but  as  Christians.  For  they  ne- 
ver did  deny  the  Scriptures,  nor  the  ancient  creeds,  nor 
baptism,  the  Lord's  Supper,  nor  any  of  the  substance  of 
our  positive  articles  of  religion.  They  added  a  new  re- 
ligion and  church  of  their  own,  but  still  professed  to  hold 
all  the  old  in  consistency  with  it. 

Wherever  the  truth  of  the  Hohj  Scriptures  and  the 


JUGGLING.  147 

ancient  creeds  of  the  church  was  professed,  tliere  was 
our  relijOfion  before  Liitlier  :  but  even  among  tbe  Papists, 
the  Holy  Scriptures  and  tlie  said  creeds  were  visibly  pro- 
fessed, theiefore  among  ibem  was  our  religion. 

Popery  itself  was  not  ripe  for  a  corruption  of  the 
Christian  faith  professed,  till  Luther's  opposition  height- 
ened them.  For  the  Scripture  was  frequently  before, 
by  Papists  held  to  be  a  most  sufficient  rule  of  faiih,  as  I 
have  sliowed  from  the  council  of  Basil;  and  consequently, 
tradition  was  only  pleaded  as  conservatory  and  exposi- 
to)  y  of  the  Scripture,  but  now  the  council  of  Trent  hath 
equalled  them,  when  they  found  that  out  of  Scripture 
ihey  were  unable  to  confute  or  suppress  the  truth. 

At  the  time  of  the  Church's  oppression  by  the  Papa- 
cy, our  Religion  was  visible,  and  so  our  Church:  in  a 
more  illustrious  sort,  among  the  Christians  of  the  most  of 
the  world,  Greeks,  Ethiopians,  and  the  rest^  who  never 
were  subject  to  the  usurpation  of  Rome,  but  only  many 
of  them  took  him  for  the  first  patriarch,  but  not  the 
governor  of  the  universal  church.  So  that  here  was  a 
visibility  of  our  church  doubly  more  eminent  than  among 
the  Romanists  ;  in  that  it  was  the  far  greatest  pari  of 
the  catholic  church  that  thus  held  our  religion,  to  whom 
the  Papists  were  then  but  few  ;  and  in  that  they  did  not 
only  hold  the  same  positive  articles  of  faith  with  us,  but 
also  among  their  rejections  did  reject  the  chief  of  the 
Popish  errors  as  we  do. 

They  rejected  with  us,  the  pope's  Catholic  Monarchy^ 
the  pretended  infallibility  of  the  pope  or  his  councils  : 
the  new  form  of  the  Papal  church,  as  headed  by  him, 
with  other  points;  which  are  the  very  fundamental  con- 
troversies between  us  and  the  Papists.  So  that  the  ma- 
jor part  of  the  catholic  church  did  profess  it,  with  the 
rejection  of  the  Papacy  and  Papal  church,  and  so  you 
may  as  easily  see  where  our  religion  was  before  Luther, 
as  where  the  catholic  church,  or  most  of  Christians  were 
before  Luther. 

Our  religion  was  professed  with  a  yet  greater  rejec- 
tion of  Romish  corruptions,  by  many  thousands  that  lived 
in  the  western  ehurcli  itself,  and  under  the  pope's  nose, 
and  opposed  him  in  many  of  his  ill  endeavors  against  the 
church  and   truth,  together  with  them  that  gave  him  th« 


148  JESUIT 

hearing,  and  were  glad  to  be  quiet,  and  gave  way  to  his- 
tyranny,  but  never  consented  to  it. 

Concerning  those  we  have  abundant  evidence,  though 
abundance  more  we  might  have  had,  if  the  power  and 
subtilty  of  the  Papal  faction  had  not  had  the  handling  of 
them.  Histories  tell  us  of  the  bloody  wars  and  conten- 
tions that  the  emperors  of  both  East  and  West  have  had 
with  the  pope  to  hinder  his  tyranny ;  and  that  they  were 
forced  by  his  power  to  submit  to  him,  contrary  to  their 
former  free  professions.  Treatises  were  written  against 
him,  both  for  the  emperors  and  princes,  and  against  his 
doctrine  and  tyranny.  Histories  and  professions  of  the 
Albigenses,  Waldenses,  Bohemians  and  others  were  very 
numerous,  and  they  affirmed  about  the  year  one  thousand 
one  hundred,  that  they  had  continued  since  the  apostles, 
and  no  other  original  of  them  is  proved.  General 
Popish  councils  have  contended  and  borne  witness  against 
the  pope's  superiority  over  a  council.  In  that  and  other 
points,  whole  countries  of  their  own  are  not  yet  brought 
over  to  the  pope.  They  have  still  among  themselves 
Dominicans,  Jansenists,  &c.,  who  are  reproached  by  the 
Jesuits.  Most  points  of  ours  which  we  oppose  to  Po- 
pery, are  maintained  by  some  or  other  of  them.  But 
the  fullest  evidence  is  the  certain  history  or  knowledge 
of  the  case  of  the  common  people  and  clergy  among 
them,  who  are  partly  ignorant  of  the  main  matters  in 
controversies  between  us,  and  are  generally  kept  under 
the  fear  of  fire,  and  sword,  and  torments ;  so  that  the 
truth  of  the  case  is  this  :  the  Roman  bishops  were  as- 
piring by  degrees  to  be  archbishops,  and  so  to  be  pa- 
triarchs, and  so  to  have  the  first  seat  and  vote,  and  to  be 
called  the  chief  bishoj)s  or  patriarchs^  and  at  last  they 
made  another  thing  of  their  office,  and  claimed,  about 
six  hundred  years  after  Christ,  to  be  universal  monarchs 
or  governors  of  all  the  church.  But  though  that  claim 
was  soon  laid,  it  was  comparatively  but  icvf^  even  in  the 
West,  that  made  it  any  article  of  their  faith  ;  but  multi- 
tudes sided  with  the  princes  that  would  have  kept  the 
pope  lower,  and  the  most  of  the  people  meddled  not  with 
tlie  matter,  but  yielded  to  necessity,  and  gave  place  to 
violence,  except  the  Albigenses,  Bohemians,  Wickliffites 
and  the  rest  that  more  openly  opposed.     So  that  no  man 


JtTOOLlNO.  149 

could  judge  of  the  multitude  clearly,  which  side  they 
were  on,  being  forced  by  fire  and  sword,  and  having  not 
the  freedom  to  profess  their  minds. 

Our  religion  was  at  first  with  the  apostles,  and  the 
apostolic  church  :  and  for  divers  hundred  years  after,  it 
was  with  the  universal  Clirislian  church.  Since  Rome's 
usurpation,  it  was  even  with  the  Romanists  though  abus- 
ed, and  with  the  greater  part  of  tlie  catholic  church  that 
renounced  Popery  then,  and  so  do  now  ;  and  also  with 
the  opposers  of  the  pope  in  the  West.  This  is  the 
succession  we  plead,  and  where  our  church  and  religion 
still  was. 

If  any  deny  that  we  are  of  the  same  church  and  re- 
ligion with  all  that  is  truly  christian,  I  easily  prove 
it.  They  tliat  <ire  Ciiristians  joined  to  Christ  the  head, 
are  all  of  the  same  church  and  religion,  for  none  else  are 
Christians  or  united  to  Christ,  but  the  church  which  is 
his  body  :  but  all  sincere  Christians  and  we  are  united 
to  Christ  the  head  :  therefore  we  are  all  of  the  same 
church  and  religion. 

They  who  believe  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  differ  in  no 
essential  part  of  the  Christian  faith,  are  of  the  same 
church  and  religion :  but  so  do  both  we  and  all  true 
Christians :  therefore  we  are  all  of  one  church  and  re- 
ligion. 

They  who  are  truly  regenerate,  and  justified,  hating 
all  known  sin,  longing  to  be  perfect,  loving  God  above 
all,  and  seeking  first  his  kingdom  and  righteousness,  and 
accounting  all  tilings  but  loss  in  comparison  of  Christ,  are 
all  of  the  true  catholic  church,  and  the  true  Christian 
religion':  but  such  are  all  that  are  sincere,  of  the  reform- 
ed churches  ;  as  we  to  prove  others  by  our  profession 
and  practice,  by  which  only  tlicy  are  capable  of  judging 
of  us;  and  to  ourselves  infallibly  against  all  the  enemies 
of  our  salvation  in  hell  or  eartli,  by  the  knowledge  and 
acquaintance  with  our  own  hearts,  and  the  experience  of 
the  work  of  God  upon  them.  All  the  Jesuits  in  the 
world  cannot  persuade  me  that  I  love  not  God,  and  hate 
sin,  and  prefer  not  the  love  of  Christ  before  all  the 
world,  when  I  feel  and  know  that  I  do;  till  they  can 
prove  that  they  know  my  heart  better  than  I  do. 

If  Christ  consent  to  it,  and  we  consent  to  it,  then  ve 

13* 


150  JESUIT 

all  who  are  sincere  in  our  profession  are  of  the  true  cath- 
olic church  and  religion;  for  ifhe  consent  and  we  consent^ 
who  is  there  that  is  able  to  break  the  match  1  But 
Cbrist  consenteth,  and  we  consent.  His  consent  is  ex- 
pressed in  his  Gospel,  that  whoever  helieveth  in  him 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  ;  and  who- 
ever will  may  drink  of  the  water  of  life  freely.  Our 
consent  we  openly  j  rofessed  at  baptism,  and  have  fre- 
quently renewed;  and  our  own  souls  are  acquainted  with 
the  sincerity  of  it,  whatever  any  that  know  not  our  hearts 
may  say  against  it. 

All  that  are  truly  baptized,  and  own  their  baptismal 
covenant,  are  visible  members  of  the  true  catholic  church; 
for  it  is  the  very  nature  and  use  of  baptism  to  enter  us 
into  that  church.  Protestants,  are  all  truly  baptized, 
and  own  their  baptismal  covenant :  therefore  we  are  all 
of  the  true  catholic  church. 

Tuberville  says ;  The  true  church  of  God  hath  had 
a  continued  succession  from  Christ J3ut  the  Pro- 
testant church,  and  so  of  all  other  sectaries,  hath  not  a 
continued  succession  from  Christ  to  this  time.  Judge 
what  this  man  or  any  Papist  ever  said  with  sense  and 
reason,  to  prove  that  the  Eastern  and  Southern  churches 
have  no  true  succession.  Are  they  not  now  of  the  same 
church  and  religion  as  ever  they  have  been?  All  the 
change  that  many  of  them  have  made,  hath  been  but  in 
the  entertaining  of  some  fopperies,  common  to  Rome 
and  them  :  and  if  any  of  those,  which  you  call  sectaries 
can  prove  their  succession,  it  destroys  your  argument 
and  cause. 

We  will  begin  with  him  at  the  first  century,  and  so  to 
the  second  ;  and  if  he  can  prove  that  Jesus  Christ,  or 
the  Virgin  Mary,  or  John  I3aptist,  or  the  apostles,  or 
any  one  of  the  rest  that  he  hath  named,  were  Papists, 
much  more  all  of  them,  I  am  resolved  to  turn  Papist. 
But  unless  he  intended  to  provoke  his  reader  to  an 
irreverent  laughter  about  this  abuse  of  holy  things,  one 
would  think  he  should  not  have  named  John  Baptist, 
who  was  dead  not  only  before  Rome  had  a  church,  but 
also  before  the  time  that  Bellarmin  and  his  brethren  pre- 
tended that  Peter  received  his  commission,  to  be  the 
universal  head.     Did  not  that  writer  know  that  Protes- 


JUGGLING.  15t 

taiits  can  give  him  the  same  names,  as  for  them  ]     And 
if  printing  them  be    proof,  their  proof  is  as  good  :   if  it 
be    not,  wliat   proof  shall   we  have  /     Our   proof  is  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  written  by  the   inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in    those  times.      Thence   we    prove  that  the  fust 
church  held  the  same   belief  as  we  have;   and  we  will 
thence  jirove  that  the  catholic  church  was  not  then  Pa- 
pists.    Why  else  do  we   still  appeal  to  Scriptures,  and 
they  refuse  to  stand  the  trial  of  it  any  otherwise  than  as 
expounded  by  the  pope,  but  that  we  are  confident,  and 
they  diftident  of  them  ?     We  know  the  apostles'  faith 
from  the  apostles  ;   but  the  Papists  will   not  know  it  but 
from  the  present  church  of  Rome.     They  tell  you  the 
apostles  were  for  them  :   but  how  know  we  that?   by  the 
testimony  of  the  next  age  :   and  where  is  that  testimony  ? 
because  the  fourth  age  was  of  dieir  mind  ;  and  how  prove 
vou  that  1  because  the  present  age  is  of  their  mind  :   but 
most  Christians   of  the  present  age  are  against  them  : 
vet  they  are  not   of  the    church  :   it  is  only  the   present 
church  of  Rome  !  but  the  present  church  of  Rome  repre- 
sented in  a  general  council  may  err,  but  the  pope  can- 
not err  in  appoving  a  council.      So  that  the  sum  is  this  : 
if  the   pope    himself  may  be  judge,  the   apostles   were 
Papists. 

I  make  no  doubt,  though  Bellarmin  deny  it,  but  that 
other  churches  can  prove  as  good  a  succession  as  the 
Roman,  as  to  bishops;  and  Bellarmin  after  all  gives  up 
this  mark  as  insufficient  to  prove  a  true  church.  Lib. 
3.  de  Hcclts.  cap.  8.  By  his  own  confession  then,  suc- 
cession will  not  prove  the  Romanists  a  true  church. 

As  to  a  succession  of  religion,  and  a  continuation  of 
the  catholic  church,  I  am  so  lar  from  declining  it,  in  ar- 
gumentation, that  I  here  solemnly  profess  to  all  Papists, 
who  shall  read  these  words,  that,  as   soon  as   I   shall 

SEE  ANY  CERTAIN  PROOF,  BY  CATALOGUE  OR  ANY  OTH- 
ER WAY,  THAT  THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  HATH  SUCCES- 
SIVKLY      FROM      AGE    TO    AGE      BEEN      PaPISTS,    I    WILL 

TURN    Papist  without    delay:    and  I  challenge 

THEM    TO    GIVE    US    SUCH      PROOF    IF    THEY    CAN  :      Or    it 

they  will  prove  that  in  the  fust  age,  or  the  second,  or 
third,  the  catholic  church  were  Papists,  I  am  resolved 
to  turn  Papist:   but  I  am  most  confident  that  they  can- 


152  JESUIT 

not  prove  that  in  any  one  age  to  this  day,  the  catholic 
church  were  Papists. 


CHAPTER     XVI. 

Diversity  of  opinion. 

Another  notable  fraud  of  the  Papists,  is  this  :  to  con* 
found  all  their  own  errors  and  corruptions  together, 
and  then  to  instance  in  some  of  those  errors  that  are 
common  to  them  with  some  others,  and  to  omit  the  es- 
sential parts  of  Popery.  Thus  they  would  make  the 
world  believe,  that  if  they  prove  the  antiquity  of  any 
points  in  difference  between  them  and  us,  they  do  there- 
by prove  the  antiquity  of  Popery,  and  so  of  the  succes- 
sion :  so  they  would  make  our  religion  essentially  to 
consist   in   every  inferior  difference  between  us. 

Suffer  them  not  thus  therefore  to  juggle  in  the  dark, 
but  distinguish  between  the  essentials  of  popery,  or  the 
main  difference  between  them  and  us,  and  the  other 
errors,  which  are  not  proper  to  them  alone. 

Bellarmin  opens  his  juggling,  lib.  4.  dc  Eccles.  cap.  9, 
where  he  pleadeth  antiquity  of  doctrine  as  a  note  of  the 
true  church.  Two  ways  we  may  by  this  mark  prove 
our  church.  By  showing  the  sentences  of  the  ancients, 
by  which  we  confirn)  all  our  tenets,  and  refute  our  ad- 
versaries. But  this  way  is  most  prolix,  and  obnoxious 
to  many  calumnies  and  objections  :  the  other  way  is 
shorter  and  surer,  by  showing  first  from  the  confession 
of  the  adversaries,  that  our  tenets  are  the  doctrine  of  all 
the  ancients.  If  the  weakness  or  rashness  of  any  Pro- 
testants be  the  Papists'  strength,  it  is  time  for  us  to  be 
more  prudent  :  but  if  it  be  the  Papists'  unhappiness  that 
cannot  understand  the  ancients,  but  only  from  the  pope 
or  the  Protestants,  the  fathers  are  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  babies  as  well  as  the  Scrij)tures  ;  and  the  Protestants 
have  too  little  wit  if  they  will  join  with  the  pope  in  an 
abusive  interpreting  the  fathers  for  tli*;  Pa})ists.  Bellar- 
min proceeds  to  cite  Calvin,  and  the  ccnturists,  as  giving 
them  the  fathers,  in  the  point  of  freewill,  Limbus,  Con- 


JUGGLING.  153 

ciipiscence,  Lent,  lay  baptism  in  necessity,  &-c.,  there- 
fore by  our  confessions  antiquity  is  for  the  Papists. 
Tliis  is  their  shortest  and  surest  way.  Is  not  here  great 
diffidence  in  tlie  fatliers,  when  they  have  more  confi- 
dence in  our  sayings  tlian  their  writings  1 

But  this  jugghng  will  not  serve  the  turn.  Take  up  the 
essentials  of  Popery,  and  prove  a  catholic  succession  of 
them,  and  you  shall  win  the  day.  I  here  again  solemnly 
promise  and  protest,  that  when  ever  I  see  a  valid 
PROOF  OF  A  Popish  succession  of  these  following 

POINTS,  I  will  presently  TURN  PaPIST  :  OR  OF 
ANY  ONE  OF  THEM,  I  WILL  TAKE    UP    THAT   ONE.       And 

I  provoke  the  Papists  tliat  boast  of  tradition,  succession 
and  antiquity,  to  do  this  if  they  are  able. 

1.  Let  them  prove  that  the  pope  of  Rome  is  appointed 
by  Christ  to  be  tlie  universal  monarch,  sovereign,  governor, 
head  of  the  catholic  church,  and  the  vicar  of  Christ  on 
earth,  and  holding  the  place  of  God  himself,  whom  all  must 
obey : — 2,  That  the  true  and  only  catholic  church  is  a  socie- 
ty thus  headed  and  governed  bythe  pope,  and  that  no  man 
is  a  true  member  of  the  catholic  church,  that  is  not  the 
subject  of  the  pope  as  universal  monarch  :  nor  can  any 
other  be  saved,  as  being  without  the  church: — 3,  That 
the  church  of  Rome  is  by  God's  appointment  the  mistress 
of  all  other  churches  : — 4,  That  the  pope  of  Rome  is  in- 
fallible : — 5,  That  we  cannot  believe  the  Scriptures  to 
be  the  word  of  God  or  the  Scripture  doctrine  to  be  true, 
but  upon  the  authoritative  tradition  of  the  Roman  church, 
and  upon  the  knowledge  or  belief  of  their  infallibility  : 
that  is,  we  must  believe  in  the  pope  as  infallible,  before 
we   can    believe  in  Christ,  who  it  is  pretended  gave  him 
that  infallibility  : — 6,  That  no  Scripture  is  by  any  man 
to  be  interpreted  but  according  to  the  sense  of  the  pope  or 
Roman  church,  and  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  fathers: 
— 7,  That   a  general    council   approved   by   the   Pope 
cannot  err ;  but  a  general   council  not  approved  by  the 
pope  may  err  : — 8,  That  nothing  is  to  us  an  article   of 
faith  till  it  be  declared  by  the  pope  or  a  general  council ; 
though  it  was  long  before  declared  by  Christ  or  his  apos- 
tles  as  plain   as  they  can   speak : — 9,  That  a  general 
council  hath  no  more  validity  than  the  pope  giveth  it : — 
XO,  That  no  pastor  hath  a  valid  ordination,  unless  it  be 


154  JESUIT 

derived  from  the  pope  : — 11,  That  there  are  articles  of 
faith  of  necessity  to  our  salvation,  which  are  not  con- 
tained in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  nor  can  be  proved  by 
them  : — 12,  That  such  traditions  are  to  be  received  wiUi 
equally  pious  affection  and  reverence  as  the  Holy  Scrip- 
teres  : — 13,  That  images  have  equal  honor  with  the 
Holy  Gospel : — 14,  That  the  priests  of  the  catholic 
church  ought  to  swear  obedience  to  the  pope  as  Christ's 
vicar : — 15,  That  the  pope  shall  be  a  temporal  prince  : 
— 16,  That  the  pope  and  his  clergy  ought  to  be  exempt- 
ed from  the  government  of  princes,  and  princes  ought 
not  to  judge  and  punish  the  clergy,  till  the  pope  deliver 
them  10  their  power,  having  degraded  them': — 17,  That 
the  pope  may  disposess  princes  of  their  dominions,  and 
give  them  to  others,  if  those  princes  be  such  as  he  judg- 
cth  heretics,  or  as  will  not  exterminate  heretics  : — 18, 
That  in  such  cases  the  pope  ma}^  discharge  all  the  sub- 
jects from  their  allegiance  and  fidelity  : — 19,  That  the 
pope  in  his  own  territories,  and  princes  in  theirs,  must 
burn  or  otherwise  put  to  death,  all  that  deny  transub- 
staotiation,  the  pope's  sovereignty,  or  other  doctrines, 
when  the  pope  hath  sentenced  them  : — 20,  That  the 
people  should  ordinarily  be  forbidden  to  read  the  Scrip- 
ture in  a  known  tongue:— 21,  That  public  prayers,  praises, 
and  other  public  worship  of  God,  should  be  perfomed 
constantly  in  a  language  not  understood  by  the  people  : 
— 22,  That  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  eucharist,  is  tran- 
substantiated into  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  so 
that  it  is  no  more  true  bread  or  wine,  though  our  eyes, 
taste,  and  feeling  tell  us  that  it  is  : — 23,  That  the  con- 
secrated host  is  to  be  worshipped  with  divine  worship, 
and  called  our  Lord  God  : — 24,  That  the  pope  may 
oblige  the  people  to  receivt^  the  eucharist  only  in  one 
kind,  and  forbid  them  the  cup  : — 25,  That  the  sins  called 
venial  by  the  Papists,  arc  properly  no  sins,  and  de- 
serve only  temporal  punishment : — 26,  That  we  may 
be  perfect  in  this  life  by  this  double  pt^rfection  ;  to  have 
no  sin,  but  to  keep  all  God's  law  perfectly  :  to  superero- 
gate,  by  doing  more  than  is  our  duty  : — 27,  That  our 
works  properly  merit  salvation  of  God,  by  way  of  com- 
mutative justice,  or  by  the  condignity  of  the  works  as 
proportioned  to  the  reward  : — 28,  That  priests  should  be 


JtJGOLiNG  155 

forbidden  marriage  : — 29,  Tliat  there  is  a  fire  called  pur- 
gatory, where  souls  are  tormented,  and  where  sin  is  par- 
doned, in  another  world: — '50,  That  in  haptisin  there  is 
an  implicit  vow  of  obedience  to  the  pope  of  Rome  : — 
'31,  That  God  is  to  be  worshipj)ed  ordinarily  by  the  ob- 
lation of  a  true  proper  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  living 
and  the  d<uid,  where  the  priest  only  shall  cat  and  drink  the 
body  and  blood  o(  Christ,  while  the  congregation  look  on 
and  partake  not: — 32,  That  the  canon  of  Scripture  is  the 
same  that  is  declared  by  the  council  of  Trent. 

lam  resolved  to  receive  as  many  of  them,  as  they 
can  prove  that  they  were  in  all  ages  the  doctrine  of  the 
universal  church. 

Till  they  perform  that  task,  let  them  never  more  for 
shame  call  to  us  for  catalogues  or  proof  of  succession. 
But  if  they  are  so  unkind  that  they  will  not  give  us  any 
j)roof  of  such  a  succession  of  Popery,  we  shall  be  ready 
to  supererogate,  and  give  them  full  proof  of  the  negative, 
that  there  hath  been  no  such  succession  of  those  thirty 
two  points. 

Certainly  it  bclongeth  to  them  that  sujDrrinduce  more 
articles  of  faith,  to  prove  the  continuation  of  their  own 
articles  through  all  ages. 

One  of  those  articles,  the  pope's  sovereignty,  Tuber- 
ville  proves  in  the  first  age  from  Peter's  words.  Act.  xv. 
7,  8,  9,  10.  God  chose  Peter  to  convert  Cornelius  and 
his  company  :  therefore  the  popo  is  the  universal  mo- 
narch. Are  you  not  convinced  by  that  admirable  argu- 
ment ?  but  he  forgot  that  Bellarmin,  Ragusius  in  Concil, 
Basil:  and  others  say,  "no  article  can  be  proved  from 
Scripture,  but  fi'om  the  proper  literal  sense." 

In  the  second  age  he  hath  nothing  but  the  names  of  a 
few  that  never  dreamt  of  Popery,  and  a  canon  which 
you  must  believe  was  by  the  apostles,  that  priests  must 
communicate. 

In  the  third  age  he  nameth  fifteen  bishops  of  Rome, 
of  whom  the  last  was  deposed  for  olVering  incense  to  Sa- 
turn, Jupiter,  &.C.  but  not  a  syllable  to  prove  that  one  of 
those  bishops  was  universal  monarch  ;  much  less  that 
the  catholic  church  was  for  such  monarchy.  But  he  tells 
you  that  the  second  and  third  age  produced  no  councils; 
the  greater  deceivers  are  the  Papists  that  have  found  us 


15d  JESUIT 

councils  then  ;  an^  so  you  have  no  succession  proved. 
Yea,  but,  lie  saith,  they  have  successions  of  popes,  mar- 
tyrs and  confessors,  which  is  sufficient  for  their  purposes. 

See  the  strength  of  Popery !  Rome  had  bishops,  there- 
fore they  were  the  universal  rulers  of  the  church  :  Rome 
had  martyrs  and  confc^ssors  :  therefore  it  was  the  mis- 
tress of  all  churches.  Who  can  resist  those  arguments  1 
but  why  did  you  not  prove  that  your  confessors  and 
martyrs  suffered  for  attesting  the  pope's  sovereignty  ?  if 
they  suffered  but  for  Christianity,  that  will  prove  them 
but  Christians,  and  not  Papists.  Thus  to  the  confusion 
of  the  Papists,  they  have  nothing  to  show  for  the  suc- 
cession or  antiquity  of  Popery  for  the  three  first  ages. 
Worse  than  nothing  :  for  he  comes  in  with  decretals  of 
some  of  their  bishops:  decretals  unknown,  till  lately  in  the 
world :  brought  out  by  Isidore  Mercator  :  but  with  so 
little  cunning  as  left  them  naked  to  the  shame  of  the 
world  ;  the  falsehood  of  them  being  fully  proved,  and 
confessed  by  some  of  themselves.  Here  you  see  the 
first  foundation  of  Papal  succession,  even  a  bundle  of 
fictions,  lately  fetched  whence  they  please  to  cheat  the  ig- 
norant part  of  the  world. 

In  the  fourth  and  fifth  ages  Tuberville  makes  us 
amends  for  his  want  of  proof  from  the  three  first. 
But  what  is  that  to  a  succession,  while  the  three  first  ages 
are  strangers  to  Popery  1  His  first  proof  is  from  the 
council  of  Nice  ;  and  what  saith  that'?  it  defined  that  the 
Son  of  God  is  consubstantial  to  his  father  and  true  God. 
And  what  is  that  to  Popery  ?  It  defined  the  pope's  sov- 
ereignty :  but  how  prove  you  that?  In  the  thirty-ninth 
Arab,  canon.  O  what  consciences  have  those  men  that 
dare  thus  abuse  and  cheat  the  ignorant  !  As  if  the  can- 
ons of  the  first  general  council  had  never  been  known 
to  the  world,  till  Alphonsus  Pisanus  a  Jesuit  published 
them  out  of  Pope  Julius,  and  some  Arabic  book.  Men 
that  can  make  both  councils  and  canons  at  their  plejis- 
ure  above  a  thousand  years  after  the  supposed  time  of 
their  existence,  never  want  authority.  This  is  a  cheaper 
way  of  canon — making  in  a  corner,  than  to  trouble  all 
the  bishops  in  the  world  with  a  great  deal  of  cost  and 
travel  to  make  them.  But  if  this  be  the  foundation,  the 
building  is  answerable.    Zosiraus  had  not  been  acquaint- 


JUOGLINO.  157 

led  with  those  new  articles  of  an  old  council,  when  he 
put  his  trick  upon  the  sixth  council  of  Carthage,  where 
ibr  the  advancement  of  his  power,  though  not  to  an  uni- 
versal monarchy,  yet  to  a  preparative  degree,  he  laid 
his  claim  from  the  council  of  Nice,  as  saying,  "  if  an  ejec- 
ted hishop  appeal  to  Rome,  tlie  hishop  of  Rome  shall  ap- 
point some  ol  tiic  next  province  to  judge;  or  ifyet  he  desire 
his  cause  to  be  heard,  the  bishop  of  Rome  shall  appoint 
a  presbyter  his  legate,  iSiDC."  In  that  council  were  217 
bishops,  Aurclius  being  President,  and  Augustin  being 
one.  They  told  the  pope  that  they  would  not  yield  to 
him  till  the  true  copies  of  the  council  of  Nice  were 
searched  :  for  those  that  they  had  seen  had  not  those 
words,  which  Zosimus  alleged.  Hereupon  they  sent  to 
the  churches  of  the  East;  to  Constantinople,  Ale.fandria, 
Antioch,  &c.  for  the  ancient  canons.  Thence  they  re- 
ceived several  copies  which  all  agreed;  but  none  of 
them  had  either  Zosimus'  forgery,  nor  the  forged 
clause  which  Bellarmin  has,  much  less  the  eighty  can- 
ons of  Pisan  the  Jesuit,  but  only  twenty  canons,  which 
have  not  a  word  for  the  pope's  sovereignty. 

Zosimus  knew  not  then   of  Pisan's  canons,  or  else 
he   would  have  alleged  them;  nor  yet  of  Bellarmin's 
new  part  of  a  canon  for  the  primacy  of  the  bishop  of 
Rome.      Zosimus  himself  had  not  the  faith,  the  wit  or 
the  memory,  to  plead  either  Scripture,  apostolical  insti- 
tution, or  tradition,  for  his  privilege:  but  only  a  false 
canon  of  the  council  of  Nice;  as   looking  no  higher 
it  seems  for  his  authority      The  Roman  bishops  early 
began  both  to  aspire,  and  make  use  of  forgeries  to  ac- 
complish it.     There  was  no  such  apostolic  or  church 
tradition  for  the  Roman  power,  as  masters  of  tradition 
now  plead   for;  which  all  the  catholic   church   must 
know.     The  whole  council,    with  all  the  churches  of 
Constantinople,   Alexandria,   Antioch,  &c.,  that  is   all 
save  Rome  were  ignorant  of  that  which  Zosimus  would 
have  had  them  believe.     Little  did  the  church  then  be- 
lieve the  pope's  infallibility.     Upon  the  reception  of 
the  several  copies  of  the  Nicene  canons,  they  modestly 
convicted  Zosimus  of  falsehood:   and  the  council  re- 
solved against  his  usurpation.     In  the  African  councils, 
the  epistle  of  Cyril  of  Alexandria,  and  Atticus  of  Con- 

14 


158  JESUIT 

stantinople :  and  the  epistles  of  the  council  to  Boniface 
and  Celestine,  before  they  had  received  their  answers 
from  other  churches  about  the  Nicene  canons,  they  de- 
clare that  would  not  suffer  that  arrogancy. 

That  council  looked  no  higher  for  the  power  of  the 
pope  and  other   metropolitans,   than  to   the  council   of 
Nice,   and  thought  it  a  good    argument,  that  the  pope 
had  no  such  power,  because  no  council  had  so  subjec- 
ted the  African  church:  therefore  they  never  dreamed 
that  Christ  or  the  apostles  had  given  it  to  him.     They 
evince  the  nullity  of  his   pretended  power  out  of  the 
Nicene  council.     They  took  him  not  to  be  above  a  coun- 
cil, having   power  to  dispense  with  its   canons.     By 
the  Nicene  council,  not  some,  but  all  business  must  be 
ended  where  they  begin  ;  and  therefore  there  is  no  ap- 
peal to  the   pope.       He   that  saith   otherwise   unjustly 
chargeth  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  wanting  to  the  church. 
They  took  it  for  a  sufficient  reason  against  appeals  to 
Rome,  because  all  might  appeal  to  a  provincial  or  gen- 
eral council.     They  thought  it  a  thing  not  to  be  imag- 
ined, that  God  should  give  his  spirit  to  any  one  man, 
even  to  the  pope  to  try  and  judge,  and  deny  it  to  a  coun- 
cil, general  or  provincial :   so  that  they  little  dreamed  of 
the  Roman  infallibility  or  power  of  judging  all  the 
world.     They  thought  the  pope  to  be  incapable  of  this 
universal  judgment,   were  it  but  by  distance,   and  the 
natural  impediments  of  age,  sex,  and  many  the  like,  that 
must  needs  hinder  the  necessary  witnesses  from  such 
a  voyage  or  journey:  so  that  they  give  an  argument 
from  natural  necessity  against  the  pope's  pretended  sov- 
ereignty and  judgment.     They  plainly  make  such  judg- 
ments to  be  invalid  for  want  of  necessary  witness  and 
means  of  prosecution.     Whereas  the  pope  might  object 
that  h  '  could  prevent  all  this  by  his  legates,  they  flatly 
rejected  that  too,  and  say  they  find  no  such  thing  con- 
stituted by  any  synod :   so  that  they  both  rejected  the 
pope's  trying  and  judging  by  legates  in  other  metro- 
politans' jurisdiction  ;  and  they  took  it  for  a  sufficient 
ground  to  do  so,  that  there  v,-as  no  council  had  so  con- 
stituted ;  much  less  a  Scripture  constitution,  or  apostoli- 
cal tradition.     If  the  pope  may  neither  judge  them  by 
himself  nor  his  legates,  he  may  sit  still.     They  convict 


JDOOLING.  159 

the  Roman  blsliop  of  stMidin<jf  thcni  a  false  canon  of  the 
Nicene  council.  Tln-'y  show  us  wljat  way  tlie  po|>e 
then  took  to  get  and  Weep  his  power:  by  sending  to 
the  secuhir  commanders  of  the  provinces,  in  whom  they 
had  special  iulcrciit  by  their  residence  at  Rome,  to  ex- 
ecute their  wills  by  force.  The  council  plainly  accuse 
them  of  introducing  secular  arrogance  into  Christ's 
church,  that  better  loveth  simplicity  and  humility  and 
light.  They  plainly  require  the  bishop  of  Rome  to  do 
so  no  more.  They  tell  him  that  Faustinus  remaining 
any  longer  in  Africa  will  not  stand  with  that  honesty 
and  moderation  of  the  bisliop  of  Rome  which  is  neces- 
sary to  brotherly  charity. 

I  give  you  the  plain  passages  of  the  council,  and 
screw  no  forced  consequences  from  them.  Now  let 
Binius  and  liis  brethren  make  childicn  believe  that  it 
was  not  appeals  to  Rome,  but  a  troublesome  manner  of 
trial  that  the  council  was  aofainst :  and  tell  men  that  take 
him  for  infallible,  of  a  Nicene  canon  for  the  pope's  su- 
premacyand  monarchy:  and  persuade idiotsanddoiards 
that  the  catholic  church  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  ages 
was  for  the  universal  government  of  the  pope. 

The  first  Constantinople  council,  saith  Tuberville, 
decreed  the  bishop  of  Constantinople  to  be  chief  next 
the  bishop  of  Rome. 

Then  that  primacy  was  but  the  institution  of  councils. 
It  was  grounded  on  a  secular  reason  ;  for  so  sailh  the 
canon,  because  it  is  new  Rome.  The  pope's  primacy 
was  but  honorary,  and  gave  him  no  universal  govern- 
ment; for  the  primacy  here  granted  to  Constantinople, 
gave  them  no  government  over  Alexandria,  Antioch, 
&c.  And  the  second  canon  expressly  limits  all  bish- 
ops without  exception  to  their  own  diocess.  The  third 
canon  affirmed,  that  according  to  the  Nicene  council^ 
in  every  j)i'oi'iiice  the  provi?icial  cou?icil  ought  to  ad- 
minister and  govern  all  things.  See  how  clearly  the 
succession  of  the  Roman  monarchy  is  disproved  to  that 
time. 

The  next  proof  is  from  the  third  act  of  the  first  coun- 
cil of  Ephesus,  that  Peter  yet  lives  and  exercises  judg- 
ment in  his  successors.  The  words,  that  Peter  was 
the  head  of  the  apostles,  though  nothing  to  their  pur- 


160  JESUIT 

pose,  are  neither  spoken  nor  approved  by  the  council, 
but  only  by  Celestine's  legate.  The  council,  though 
specially  moved  by  his  concurrence  to  extol  Celestine 
to  the  highest,  yet  never  spake  a  word  of  his  governing 
pov^rer  or  sovereignty,  but  only  his  consent:  and  when 
they  mention  the  Roman  church,  it  is  only  their  con- 
sent which  they  predicate.  They  extol  Cyril  equally 
with  Celestine.    Binivs,  Tom.  2.  Cap.  15. 

The  next  witness  brought  is  the  council  of  Chalce- 
don,  as  calling  Leo,  universal  archbishop  and  patriarch 
of  old  Rome,  and  sentence  is  pronounced  against  Dio- 
scorus  in  the  names  of  Leo  and  St.  Peter.  'I'his  is  one 
of  your  common  frauds.  It  was  not  the  council  that 
called  him  universal  archbishop,  but  two  deacons  in  the 
superscription  of  their  libels,  Theodorusand  Ischirion. 
Were  they  the  catholic  church? 

By  universal  archbishop  is  plain  that  they  meant  no 
more  than  the  chief  in  dignity  and  order  of  all  arch- 
bishops, and  not  the  governor  of  all.  That  universality 
was  only  in  the  empire,  and  not  over  the  world. 

That  very  council  in  its  canons  not  only  gives  the 
bishop  of  Constantinople  equal  privileges  with  the 
bishop  of  Rome,  but  expressly  saith  that  Rome  received 
this  primacy  of  order  from  a  council,  because  it  was 
the  seat  of  the  emperor.  When  Bellarmin  comes  to 
that  canon,  he  plainly  charges  that  farnous  fourth 
general  council  with  falsehood,  and  says  that  the 
pope  approved  not  this  canon.  But  approved  or  not 
approved,  if  that  was  the  catholic  church  representative, 
their  testimony  is  valid  to  prove  that  there  was  then  no 
reception  of  the  Roman  monarchy  as  of  God,  but  con- 
trarily  a  mere  primacy  of  dignity  and  honor  given  it 
newly  by  men. 

In  the  sixth  and  in  the  seventh  age  though  then  the 
sovereignty  was  claimed  by  Boniface,  he  citeth  no 
council  for  it  neither. 

In  the  eighth  age  he  cites  the  second  council  of  Nice, 
as  approving  an  epistle  of  Pope  Adrian,  wherein  he 
saith  that  the  Roman  church  is  the  head  of  all  churches. 
Whether  Adrian  himself  by  the  head  meant  the  chief 
in  dignity,  or  the  governor  of  all,  is  a  great  doubt. 
Tharasius  seems  to  imply  the  contrary,  as  if  his  see 


JCOOLINO.  161 

had  llie  privilege  only  of  being  the  primate  of  Rome, 
and  not  tlie  ruler  of  the  world.  That  council  did  not 
openly  own  the  Papal  sovereignty. 

I  am  content  that  any  impartial  sober  person  may 
judge,  whether  here  be  a  satisfactory  proof  of  a  catholic 
succession  of  the  Papal  sovereignty,  when  through  so 
many  ages,  they  bring  not  a  word  for  any  succession 
at  all ;  much  less  that  it  was  owned  by  the  catholic 
church  :  and  least  of  all,  that  all  the  rest  of  Popery  was 
so  owned. 

Having  showed  you  that  Papists  cannot  prove  any 
succession,  or  continuation,  or  tradition  of  their  religion, 
let  us  consider  their  silly  shift,  in  other  points. 

I  have  already  proved  that  ignorance  or  difference 
about  many  points  not  essential  to  Christianity,  may 
consist  with  our  being  of  one  religion  and  catholic 
church,  and  therefore  such  differences  are  nothing  to 
the  point  of  succession  of  the  catholic  church  or  reli- 
gion :  and  Papists  tolerate  or  plead  for  the  toleration 
of  greater  differences  among  themselves,  which  yet 
they  affirm  to  consist  with  the  unity  of  faith. 

The  Jesuits  maintain,  that  if  a  man  do  but  believe  in 
their  pope  and  church  as  infallible,  he  may  not  only  as 
some  say,  be  ignorant  of  some  article  of  the  creed  itself, 
and  yet  be  a  true  catholic,  and  be  saved,  but  also  be- 
lieve a  f^ilse  article  as  from  3od  and  the  church.  The 
former  is  commonly  taught  not  only  by  such  as  Suarez, 
that  say  the  article  of  Christ's  Descent  into  Hell  is  not 
to  all  of  necessity  to  salvation,  but  by  many  others  in 
the  doctrine  of  implicit  faith.  The  latter  clause  you 
may  see  among  others  in  AlbertiJius  the  Jesuit,  Corol- 
lar.  p.  250,  where  his  objectors  put  this  case  :  "  Suppose 
twenty  bishops  preach  to  a  countryman  a  false  article, 
as  if  it  were  spoken  by  God  and  the  church :  that  pro- 
posal of  the  twenty  bishops  is  so  sufficient,  that  the 
countryman  prudently  formeth  an  evident  practical 
judgment,  and  morally  certain,  to  believe  with  a  specu- 
lative assent  the  article  proposed  by  the  twenty  bishops, 
for  the  authority  of  God  as  the  formal  reason.  Three 
absurdities  seem  hence  to  follow.  That  the  country- 
man should  be  obliged  under  mortal  sin,  to  believe  the 
twenty  bishops,  and  so  the  precept  of  faith  should  bind 

14* 


162  JESUIT 

to  believe  a  falsehood.  The  countryman  should  be  in 
God's  grace  without  faith.  In  grace,  because  he  com- 
mits no  mortal  sin,  yea  he  obeys  the  command  of  be- 
lieving: yet  without  faith,  because  he  believes  a  false- 
.hood  opposite  to  faith,  and  so  loseth  faith.  God  should 
concur  to  deceive.  To  the  first  Albertinus  an- 
swereth  that  its  no  absurdity  that  the  command  of  faith 
do  oblige  to  believe  a  falsehood.  To  the  second  he 
saith,  that  the  countryman  doth  not  lose  his  grace  or 
faith;  because  the  falsehood  believed  is  not  formally 
opposite  to  the  true  faith,  but  materially."  A  man  there- 
fore may  hold  an  article  opposite  to  the  faith  materi- 
ally, and  yet  not  only  be  a  true  Christian  in  grace  and 
faith,  but  also  in  so  doing  obey  by  accident  the  com- 
mand of  believing,  so  be  it  he  believe  in  their  church, 
If  that  be  so,  with  what  face  can  these  men  say  that  our 
church  or  religion  is  new,  or  not  the  same  with  the 
Greeks,  &c.,  when  we  have  the  same  formal  object  of 
faith,  and  differ  in  no  essential  material  point  ?  See  here 
their  lubricity  and  partiality. 

The  second  Council  of  Nice  that  decreed  for  image 
worship,  expressly  decrees,  that  Latria,  divine  worship 
is  to  be  given  only  to  God  :  Thomas  Aquinas  Sum.  3.  q. 
25.  art.  3  &  4,  maintaineth  that  Latria,  "  divine  wor- 
ship is  to  be  given  to  the  image  of  Christ,  and  to  the 
Cross  that  he  died  on ;  and  to  the  sign  of  that  CrossJ^ 
Here  is  an  article  of  their  faith  expressly  contradicted: 
yet  Aquinas  is  a  member  of  their  church.  If  any  say 
ne  is  no  member,  it  is  proved  past  doubt,  for  the  pope 
hath  canonized  him  for  a  saint  :  so  that  now  it  is  a  part 
of  their  religion  to  take  him  for  a  true  believer.  Alber- 
tinus, as  he  thinks,  proved,  that  though  in  many  other 
matters  of  fact  the  pope  be  fallible,  yet  in  the  canonizing 
of  saints  he  is  infallible,  because  of  some  promise  of 
God's  special  assistance.  Abundance  of  such  instances 
might  be  brought  to  prove,  that  the  Papists  oicn  men  as 
true  believers,  who  deny  or  contradict  articles  of  their 
faith.  But  what  need  we  more,  than  that  France  and 
thousands  elsewhere  are  yet  members  of  their  church, 
that  deny  the  Latcran  and  Florentin  definition  for  the 
pope's  supremacy  above  a  general  council  ?  and  when 
most  Papists  hold  that  angels  are  incorporeal,  contrary 


JUGGLING.  163 

to  the  definition  of  the  said  second  Council  of  Nice. 
Therefore  by  their  own  law,  we  may  say,  that  those 
were  of  our  religion  that  differed  from  us  in  nothing 
that  is  essential  to  the  faith. 

Papists  tell  us  tiiat  Jerom.  Austin,  Ambrose,  &c., 
held  the  invocation  of  saints.  If  any  desire  the  de- 
parted saints  to  pray  for  them,  as  they  do  the  living,  we 
have  reason  enough  to  take  it  for  their  error. 

The  primitive  church  was  unacquainted  with  the 
Romish  prayer  to  saints.  Till  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century,  they  are  not  able  to  prove  that  ever  three  men 
were  for  prayer  to  the  dead  at  all,  except  such  a  condi- 
tional speech  in  an  oration  as  Gregory  Nazianz  hath ; 
if  holy  souls  have  any  f.are  or  feeling  of  such  things  as 
these,  receive  this  oration,  Orat.  11.  Usher  in  his  an- 
swer to  the  Jesuit,  page  418,  saith,  that  fo/  niju  parts 
of  the  first  four  hundred  years,  the  Jesuit  is  not  able  to 
'produce  one  true  testimony  out  of  any  father  ivhcrehy 
it  may  appear  that  any  account  at  all  v:as  made  of  it. 
He  citeth  the  full  express  words  of  the  fathers  of  those 
first  ages  against  praying  to  saints,  as  Origen  in  Jos. 
Horn.  16  In  Rom.  lib.  2.  cap.  2:  and  Contr.  Celsum. 
lib.  8,  lib.  5.  Tertullian  Apol.  cap.  30.  Tertullian  and 
Cypiian  on  Prayer.  Athanasius  Orat.  4.  Cont.  Arium. 
Eccles.  Smyrn.  apud  Euseb.  Hist.  lib.  4. 

When  prayer  to  the  dead  came  in,  it  exceedingly 
differed  trom  the  Romish  prayers  to  the  dead.  Those 
adorations  and  devotions  offered  by  the  Papists  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  are  enough  to  make  a  Christian  tremble, 
and  are  horrid  blasphemy  or  idolatry. 

The  reason  why  in  the  Old  Testament  men  were  not 
wont  to  pray  to  saints,  Bcllarmin  saith,  was  because  then 
they  did  not  enter  into  Heaven  nor  see  God.  Bellar.  dc 
sand.  Beat.  li.  2.  cap.  19.  Saurez  Tom.  2.  disp.  42. 
Sect.  1.  But  as  the  chief  doctors  of  the  church  for 
divers  ages  were  of  opinion  that  the  saints  are  not  ad- 
mitted into  Heaven  to  the  clear  sight  of  God  before  the 
day  of  judgment,  as  most  of  the  Eastern  churches  do  to 
this  day,  therefore  they  could  not  be  for  the  Popish 
prayer  to  saints. 

Men  may  be  of  the  same  faith  and  church  \vith  us, 
who  differ  and  err  in  as  great  a  matter  as  this.     The 


164  JESUIT 

council  of  Florence  defined  it,  that  "  departed  souls 
are  admitted  into  heaven  to  the  clear  sight  of  God.  Yet 
Stapletonand  Francis.  Pegna.a  Castro,  Medina  and  So' 
tus,  ajffirm  that  Irenceus,  Justin  Martyr,  Tertullian,  Cle- 
mens  Ronianus,  Origen,  Ariibrose,  Chrysostome,  Austin, 
Lacta?itius,  Victorinus,  Prudentius,  Theodoret,  Aretas, 
Oecumenius,  Theophylact,  Euthymius,  and  even  Ber- 
nard,  have  delivered  the  contrary  sentence.  Staplet. 
Defens.  Eccles.  author,  cojit  Whitak.  lib.  1.  cap.  2. 
Pegna.  Part  2.  Director.  Inquisitor,  com.  21.  ■ 

All  those  are  against  the  Popish  invocation  of  saints, 
so  they  were  against  that  which  now  is  determined  to 
be  of  faith,  whence  I  gather  that  the  Romish  faith  in- 
creaseth,  and  is  not  the  same  as  heretofore.  That  they 
had  not  this  article  by  tradition  from  any  ol  those  fathers, 
or  from  the  apostles  by  them,  unless  from  the  Scrip- 
tures. That  men  that  err  in  such  points  as  are  now 
defined  by  conncils  to  be  of  faith,  are  yet  accounted  by 
Papists  to  be  of  their  church  and  faith:  and  therefore 
they  may  be  of  ours,  notwithstanding  such  errors  as 
this  in  baud.  Whence  the  Papists  are  a  perjured  gen- 
eration, that  swear  not  to  e.xpound  Scripture  but  accor- 
ding to  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  fathers. 

The  council  of  Laodicea  condemned  them  as  idola- 
ters who  prayed  to  angels,  Can.  35.  The  full  testimo- 
nies of  Greg.  Nyssen,  Athanasius,  Epiphaniiis,  <^v. 
are  against  praying  to  saints  and  angels,  and  the  de- 
tection of  Bellarmin's  fraud,  that  pretendeth  the  fathers 
to  speak  of  the  Gentile  idolatry,  when  they  mention  the 
Virgin  Mary  and  the  saints,  and  say  expressly  they 
were  not  to  be  adored;  may  be  found  in  Usher's  An- 
swer;  470 — 472. 

But  for  all  ttat  Tahervillc  hath  fathers  for  his  ado- 
ration of  angels  and  saints.  And  who  are  they?  The 
first  is  Dionysius :  to  which  I  answer,  there  is  not 
such  a  word  in  the  place  cited  in  Dionysius.  We  are 
for  praying  the  saints  to  pray  for  us  too,  that  is,  those 
on  earth:  and  the  words  cited  by  him,  mention  not  the 
saints  in  heaven.  Dionysius  is  a  spurious  apocryphal 
book  :  not  once  known  and  mentioned  in  the  world  till 
six  hundred  years  after  Christ,  as  Bellarmin  himself 
saith ;  Lib.  de  Scriptor,  Eccles.  de  Dionysi.  et  lib.  2.  de 
Monach.  cap.  5. 


JUGGLING.  165 

The  second  is  Clevi.  Apostol.  Conslit.  5.  The  words 
spealv  only  of  honoring-  the  martyrs,  which  is  our  un- 
questioned duty;  but  not  of  praying  to  them.  It  is  an 
apocryphal  forgery,  and  neither  the  apostle's  nor  Cle- 
ment's work  which  he  citeth.  Let  him  believe  Bcllar- 
mill  de  scriplor.  Eccles.  p.  38,  39,  who  saiih  that  in  the 
Latin  church,  those  constitutions  are  of  almost  no  ac- 
count ;  and  the  Greeks  themselves,  canon  2.  Trul.  reject 
them  as  depraved  by  heretics,  and  the  receiving  of  them 
misleadeth  the  Ethiopians. 

The  third  testimony  is  from  Justin's  second  Apol. 
It  is  not  praying  to  angels  that  Justin  intends,  but  giv- 
ing them  due  honor.  His  intent  is  to  stop  the  mouths 
of  heathens  that  called  the  Christians  impious  for  re- 
nouncing their  gods  ;  to  them  he  replieth,  that  we  yet 
honor  the  true  God,  and  his  angels,  &c. 

His  testimony  for  the  third  age  is  only  Origen 
in  his  Lamentations.  Origen  there  mentioneth  the 
saints,  but  not  the  dead  saints.  It  is  the  saints  in  the 
church  on  earth  whose  prayers  he  desireth.  You  cite 
a  forgery  that  is  none  of  Origen's  works.  Not  only 
Erasmus  saith  that  this  lamentation  was  neither  writ- 
ten by  Origen,  nor  translated  by  Jerom,  but  is  the  fic- 
tion of  some  unlearned  man,  that  by  this  trick  devised 
to  defame  Origen.  Baronius  Annal.  Tit.  2.  ad  an.  253. 
witnesseth  that  pope  Gelasius  numbers  it  with  the  apo- 
cryphals. 

The  next  exception  to  be  considered  is,  praying  for 
the  dead  :   which  they  say  the  ancient  church  was  for. 

We  are  for  the  commemoration  of  holy  lives  and 
sufferings  of  the  saints.  And  the  first  sort  of  the  an- 
cients' prayers  for  them  began  here,  as  the  occasion. 
We  are  for  thankful  acknowledgment  of  God's  mercies 
to  the  departed  saints,  and  to  the  church  by  them. 
And  the  first  prayers  for  them  were  such  as  those. 
Usher  hath  proved  that  they  were  saints,  supposed  to 
be  in  heaven  or  paradise,  and  not  in  purgatory,  that 
were  then  prayed  for  :  and  therefore  that  it  was  not  the 
Popish  praying  for  tormented  souls  that  was  then  prac- 
tised: and  therefore  their  prayers  then  besides  commem- 
orations and  thanksgivings  were  the  petitioning  of  all 
those  following  mercies  for  them  which  are  not  to  bo 


166  JESUIT 

received  till  the  resurrection.  Bellarmin  himself  prov- 
ing that  though  we  were  certain  that  the  blessed  souls 
shall  have  a  raised  glorified  body,  and  be  justified  in 
the  last  judgment,  yet  may  it  be  prayed  for,  because  it 
is  yet  future.  Now'  we  are  far  from  being  of  another 
church  or  religion  than  those  thai  hold  such  an  opinion 
as  this.  Usher  when  he  had  cited  many  testimonies 
saith  ;  "  in  those  and  other  prayers  of  the  like  kind,  we 
may  descry  evident  (ootsteps  of  the  primary  intention  of 
the  church  in  her  suppl  ications  for  the  dead :  which  was 
that  the  whole  man,  not  the  soul  separated  only,  might 
receive  public  remission  of  sins,  and  a  solemn  acquittal 
in  the  judgment  of  that  great  day;  and  so  obtain  both 
a  full  escape  from  all  the  consequences  of  sin,  the  last 
enemy  being  now  destroyed,  and  death  swallowed  up 
in  victory,  and  a  peifect  consummation  of  bliss  and  hap- 
piness: all  which  are  comprised  in  that  short  prayer  of 
Paul  for  Onesiphoras,  though  made  for  him  while  he 
was  alive,  the  Lord  grant  unto  him  that  he  may  find 
mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day.  Yea,  divers  prayers 
for  the  dead  of  that  kind  are  still  retained  in  the  Roman 
offices;  of  which  Medina  thus  writes  :  "Although  I  have 
read  many  prayers  for  the  faithful  deceased,  which 
are  contained  in  the  Roman  Missal,  yet  have  I  read  in 
none  of  them  that  the  church  doth  petition,  that  they 
may  more  quickly  be  freed  from  pains:  but  I  have 
read  that  in  some  of  them,  petition  is  made,  that  they 
may  be  freed  from  everlasting  pains.  Again  there  be 
other  prayers  wherein  petition  is  made,  that  God  would 
raise  the  souls  of  the  dead  in  their  bodies  unto  bliss  at 
the  day  of  judgment." 

Here  you  may  see  the  differences  between  the  prayers 
for  the  dead  which  are  used  by  the  I^apists  and  by  the 
Eastern  churches  to  this  day. 

Another  point  that  they  much  ch  illenge  us  about  is ; 
the  veneration  or  adoration  of  images,  relics,  and  the 
cross,  to  which  I  may  join  peregrinations  to  places 
esteemed  by  them  to  be  otjeminent  holiness.  Concerning 
peregrinations,  Gregory  ISyssen  wrote  purposely  against 
going  on  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem.  He  adviseth  even 
the  retired  monastics,  in  those  countries  that  were 
near  to  Judtea,  to  forbear  such  pilgrimages  as  dangerous 


JUGGLING.  167 

and  unnecessary,  and  not  at  all  commanded  in  the 
Scripture.  Tlie  l^apists  did  as  lon"^  as  they  could  per- 
suade the  world  that  this  epistle  was  not  by  Gregory; 
and  when  they  were  made  ashamed  of  that,  they  would 
expound  it  as  prohibiting-  pilgrimages  to  none  but  the 
monastics  :  and  sure  if  it  should  be  forbidden  them, 
then  much  more  should  others  be  forbidden,  that  have 
not  the  leisure,  and  pretend  not  to  their  devotions. 

But  it  is  one  thing  to  use  images,  and  another  to  use 
them  Popishly,  which  is  to  make  them  mediate  objects 
of  divine  worship,  yea  to  worship  the  very  image  itself, 
and  the  cross  and  sign  of  the  cross,  with  the  same  wor- 
ship as  we  do  him  that  is  signified  by  them  :  so  that  we 
confidently  affirm,  that  the  primitive  church  did  make 
no  use  of  images  at  all  in  the  worship  of  God  ;  nor  en- 
dui'e  them  in  the  place  of  worship.  When  they  were 
first  brought  in,  the  Popish  use  of  them  was  renounced 
and  detested.  Clemens  Ale xandr inns  Protrcpt.  ad 
Gent,  saith  that,  we  are  plainly  forbidden  to  use  that 
deceitful  art  of  painting  or  image  making  : — we  have 
no  sensible  image  made  of  any  sensible  matter,  but  such 
an  image  as  is  to  be  conceived  with  the  understanding. 
Origen  against  Celsus  lib.  7.  is  large  and  plain  against 
the  use  of  images,  as  the  Protestants  are.  The  Eliber. 
concil.  C.  36.  saith  it  seemeth  good  to  us,  that  pictures 
ought  not  to  be  in  the  church,  lest  that  which  is  wor- 
shipped or  adored  should  be  painted  on  walls.  Some 
Papists  would  fain  find  a  sense  for  this  canon  contrary 
to  the  words:  but  Melch.  Canus  plainly  saith,  that  the 
council  did  not  only  imprudently  but  impiously  make 
this  law  to  take  away  images.  Loc.  Theol.  lib.  5.  cap.  4. 
cone.  4. 

They  have  no  better  shift  to  save  their  credit,  than  to 
set  their  own  school-men  and  general  council  together 
by  the  ears.  The  second  council  of  Nice,  that  did 
most  for  images,  did  openly  renounce  the  adoring  them 
with  divine  honor,  and  Tharasius  solemnly  professed, 
they  did  refer  and  repose  faith  and  divine  worship  in 
the  true  God  alone.  Aquinas  Sii7n.  3.  9.  25.,  maintaineth 
that  the  images  of  Christ,  and  the  cross,  and  the  sign  of 
the  cross,  are  to  be  worshipped  with  divine  worship. 
What  saith  Tuberville  to  this?     This  is  a  mere  school 


168  JESUIT 

opinion  and  not  of  faith  with  us:  urge  not  therefore, 
whai  some  particular  divines  say,  but  hearken  to  the 
doctrine  of  God's  church. 

Is  not  this  a  gross  kind  of  juggling,  that  would  never 
down  if  devout  ignorance  and  implicit  faith  had  not  pre- 
pared the  people?  You  see  here  that  to  contradict  the 
determination  of  a  general  council,  is  not  of  faith  with 
them.  But  is  it  not  against  your  faith  ?  Do  you  give 
leave  to  mere  school  opinions  to  contradict  general 
councils  ?  See  here  what's  become  of  the  Popish  faith? 
If  the  determinations  of  councils  be  not  articles  of  faith 
with  you,  then  you  have  no  faith,  but  give  up  your 
cause  :  and  if  they  be,  then  Aquinas  and  his  followers 
are  heretics.  Then  what's  become  of  the  Pope's  infal- 
libility in  canonizing  saints,  that  have  sainted  Thomas 
Aquinas,  who  is  proved  a  heretic  by  your  law :  so  that 
your  cause  is  gone  which  way  ever  you  turn.  What  it 
is  to  pray  to  saints,  when  some  of  them  are  made  here- 
tics by  your  own  laws  ?  Then  also  see,  at  what  unity 
the  church  of  Rome  is  among  themselves,  when  it  is  the 
very  common  doctrine  of  their  learned  schoolmen, 
which  contradictelh  a  general  council.  What  a  holy 
church  you  have,  when  your  most  learned  divines  are 
thus  made  heretics.  Usher's  allegations  of  Arundel's 
provincial  council  at  Oxford,  1408.  Naclantus  in  Rom. 
cap.  1.  saith  :  "  We  must  not  only  confess,  that  the  faith- 
ful in  the  church  do  worship  before  the  image,  as  some 
cautiously  speak,  but  that  they  adore  the  image,  with- 
out any  scruple:  yea  and  that  they  worship  it  with  the 
same  worship  as  the  prototype;  so  that  if  it  be  worship- 
ed with  divine  w^orship,  the  image  must  have  divine 
worship."  Cabrera,  part  3.  Thorn.,  qu.  25.  art.  3. 
aisp.  2.  num.  15,  saith  :  "  it  is  of  faith  that  images  are 
to  be  worshipped,  in  churches  and  without :  and  we 
must  give  them  signs  of  servitude  and  submission, 
by  embracing,  lights,  offering  incense,  uncovering  the 
head,  &c.  Images  are  truly  and  properly  to  be  adored, 
with  an  intention  to  adore  tliemselves,  and  not  only  the 
samplars  represented  in  tliem.  This  conclusion  is 
against  Duiandus  and  his  followers,  whose  opinion  by 
the  moderns  is  judged  dangerous,  rash,  and  savoring  of 
heresy.       Medina    reporteth   that    Victoria  reputed  it 


iUOGLlNC.  169 

heretical:  but  our  conclusion  is  the  common  one  of 
divines.  If  images  be  improperly  only  adored,  then 
they  arc  not  to  be  adored  simply  and  absolutely;  which  is 
manifest  heresy.  And  if  images  are  to  be  worshipped 
only  by  way  of  remembrance,  because  they  make  us 
remember  the  samplars,  which  we  thus  adore  as  if  they 
were  present,  it  would  follow  that  all  creatures  are  to 
be  adored  with  the  same  adoration  as  God — which 
is  absurd.  The  opinion  of  Thomas,  that  the  image 
must  be  worshipped  with  the  same  act  of  adoration,  as 
the  samplar  which  it  representeth,  is  most  true,  most 
pious,  and  very  consonant  to  the  decrees  of  faith.  Ca- 
brera adds,  that  this  is  the  doctrine  of  Thomas  and  all 
his  disciples,  and  almost  all  the  old  schoolmen,  and 
particularly  of  Cajetan,  Capreolus,  Paludanus,  Fer- 
rariensis,  Antoninus,  Soto,  Alexander,  Alesius,  Albertus, 
Magnus,  Bonaventura,  Richardus  de  media  villa,  Dio- 
nysius  Carthusianus,  Major,  Marsilius,  Thomas,  Wal- 
densis,  Turrecremata,  Clichtovaeus,  Turrian,  Vasquez ; 
&c.  Azorius  saith,  it  is  the  constant  opinion  of  divines. 
Institui.  Moral,  torn.  1.  lib.  9.  cap.  6.  In  the  Roman 
pontifical  published  by  the  authority  of  Clement,  it  is 
exprsssed,  that  the  legate's  cross  shall  have  the  right 
hand,  because  divine  worship  is  due  to  it.  Here  the 
pope  himself  is  a  heretic;  and  the  pontifical  contains 
heresy:  and  all  the  schoolmen  are  heretics,  by  contra- 
dictingthe  determination  of  the  second  general  council  at 
Nice,  and  the  doctrine  which  they  say,  is  the  doctrine 
of  God's  church.  Such  is  the  faith  and  unity  of  th« 
Papists, 

But  they  also  maintain  "that  though  all  those  worship 
the  very  cross  and  Images  themselves,  and  that  with 
divine  worship,  yet  there  be  some  that  do  but  worship 
God  by  the  image.  Do  you  think  that  rational  pagans 
did  not  know  as  well  as  you  that  their  images  were  not 
gods  themselves,  and  so  worshipped  them  not  as  gods, 
but  as  the  representers  and  instruments  of  some  deity  ? 
Lactantius  Instit.  lib.  2.  cap  2.  brings  them  in  saying 
thus  ;  we  fear  not  them,  but  those  whom  they  represent, 
and  to  whose  names  they  are  consecrated.  Arnobius 
thus  ;  It  is  the  gods  that  we  worship  by  images.  Au- 
gustin  thus  reporteth  the  pagans  saying,  I  do  not  wor- 

15 


ifO  JESUiJf 

ship  that  stone,  nor  that  image,  which  is  without  sefls^/ 
Psal.  113.  cojic.  2.  I  worship  neither  the  image  nor 
a  spirit  in  it ;  but  by  the  bodily  Hkeness  I  behold  the 
sign  of  that  which  I  ought  to  worship.  That  many  of 
them  renounced  the  worshipping  of  devils,  appearelh  by 
Auguslin's  report  of  their  words,  in  FsaL  96.  "  We 
worship  not  evil  spirits  :  it  is  those  that  you  call  angels, 
that  we  worship,  who  are  the  powers  of  the  great  God, 
and  the  ministers  of  the  great  God."  To  whon\  Austin 
answers ;  would  you  would  worship  them,  that  is  honor 
them  aright,  then  you  would  easily  learn  of  them  not  ti3 
worship  them.  Few  could  be  so  silly  as  to  think  there 
were  as  many  Jupiters  or  ApoUos  as  there  were  images 
of  them  in  the  world.  So  that  you  see  here  that  some 
of  the  pagans  as  to  image-worship  disclaimed  that  which 
the  Papists  ascribe  to  them,  divine  worship. 

Oh  but,  saith  Tuberville,  tell  us  not  of  particular  doc- 
tors, but  of  the  doctrine  of  God's  church.  What!  not 
of  Thomas  1  not  of  the  army  of  school  divines  before 
mentioned.?  not  of  the  common  judgment  of  divines'? 
for  so  they  call  it;  not  of  that  wliich  is  of  faith,  or  con- 
sonant to  it,  and  whose  contrary  is  heresy,  or  savors  of 
heresy  1  not  of  Pope  Clement  VIII.  and  the  Roman 
pontifical?  Wonderful!  are  all  those  no  body  in  your 
church  ?  O  admirable  harmony  that  is  in  your  united 
church  ! 

But  you  agree  to  leave  out  the  second  commandment 
lest  the  very  words  should  deter  the  people  from  image 
worship  ;  and  to  make  an  irrational  division  of  the  tenth 
to  blind  their  eyes.  Yet  you  cry  up  the  testimony  of 
the  fathers,  when  you  are  fain  to  hide  one  of  the  ten 
commandments,  so  that  thousands  of  your  poor  seduced 
followers,  know  not  that  there  is  such  a  thing.  No  won- 
der if  you  cast  away  Gregory  Nyssen's  epistle  against 
pilgrimages;  and  Epiphanius  in  the  end  of  his  epistle  to 
Joban.  Hierosol.  against  images,  and  if  \'asquez  3.  Thom. 
disp.  105.  c.  3.  contrary  to  the  plain  words  feigns  that 
it  was  the  image  of  a  profane  or  common  man  that 
Epiphanins  pulled  down  ;  and  Al.  Cope  Dial  5.  c.  2L 
says,  that  the  epistle  is  counterfeit  and  not  by  Epiphanius; 
and  if  Bellarmin  de  imag.  c.  9.  and  Baronius  an.  392 
say  that  this  part  of  the  epistle  is  forged  :  and  if  Alphons. 


JTJCGLING,  171 

Ti  Castro,  cont.  IlcPros.  do  imag.  reproach  Epiplianius  for 
it  as  an  Iconoclast.  So  well  are  yon  agreed  in  tlie  con- 
futation of  tlic  lathers'  testimonies,  that  any  way  will 
■serve  yonr  turn,  though  each  man  liavc  his  several  way. 
Vasquez  plainly  confesseth,  *'  indeed  the  Scripture  doth 
forbid  not  only  the  worship  of  an  image  for  God,  but 
also  the  worshipping  the  true  God  in  an  image  :  but  this 
commandment  is  now  repealed,  and  therefore  under  the 
Gospel  we  mav  do  otherwise."  Vasq.  lib.  2.  de  Adorat. 
Disp.  4.'  f .  3.  'Sect.  74.  75.  et  c.  4.  Sect.  84. 

Many  Christian  churches  do  reject  images  from  their 
churches  as  well  as  Protestants.  More  reject  statutes 
that  reject  not  pictures.  Many  that  keep  them,  worship 
them  not,  nor  God  in  them,  or  by  them,  as  by  a  mediate 
object.  General  councils  have  been  against  images, 
that  want  nothing  bnt  the  pleasure  of  the  pope,  to  make 
them  of  as  good  authority  as  the  council  that  was  for 
them.  That  second  council  that  was  for  them,  of  Nice, 
condemn  oth  the  schoolmen  and  Pope  Clement 
himself  f^s  heretics,  for  worshipping  them,  or  the 
•cross  with  divine  worship.  Of  the  judgment  of  the  an- 
cient catholic  church  against  the  Popish  use  of  images, 
peruse  what  Cassander,  an  honest  Papist  hath  written 
to  that  end,  Consultat.  de  imag.  et  simulac.  "In  refer- 
ence to  the  images  of  saints,  it  is  certain  that  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  neither  among 
Christians  nor  in  the  churches,  images  were  not  used,  so 
Clement  and  Arnobius  testify.  At  length,  pictures  were 
introduced  into  the  churches,  under  the  pretext  of  ex- 
plaining the  sacred  iiistorical  facts."  He  also  alleges 
antiquity  against  the  Popish  use  of   images. 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

Popish  false  interpretations. 

Another  of  the  Papists'  deceits,  and  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal juggleries  with  which  they  support  their  cause  is  this' 
False  interpretations  and  applications  of  all  the  say- 
ings of  the  fathers,  which  they  force  to  countenanct 
their  usurped  supremacy. 


172  JESUIT 

1.  Any  claim  that  ambitious  prelates  have  made  to  pow- 
er, they  use  as  an  argument  for  their  universal  sover- 
eio-nty.  There  was  too  much  pride  and  ambition  in  pre- 
lates, even  in  some  that  otherwise  might  be  good  men. 
Zosimus  would  have  extorted  a  confession  of  his  usurp- 
ed power,  and  a  submission  to  it  from  vVurelius,  Augus- 
tin,  and  the  rest  of  the  African  council :  but  he  could 
not  do  it.  Leo  I.  and  Gregory  I.  and  others,  were  very 
busy  for  the  extending  of  their  power:  the  Roman  pre- 
lates long  endeavored  to  put  tlie  halter  on  the  Africans* 
heads,  and  about  the  French  before  they  got  them  under. 
Shall  those  ambitions  men  be  witnesses  ?  and  because 
they  would  have  had  more  power,  doth  it  follow  that  it 
was  their  due  ? 

2.  If  they  find  that  any  distressed  churches  or  bishops 
sent  to  Rome  for  help,  it  is  gathered  thence  that  they  took 
the  pope  to  be  Christ's  vicar  general.  As  when  Chrys- 
tom  sent  to  Innocent,  and  Basil  and  the  rest  in  the  East 
did  send  often  for  help  into  the  West ;  because  Rome 
during  the  emperor's  residence  there,  was  the  place 
where  life  or  death  was  last  pronounced  on  every  man's 
cause  by  secular  power ;  and  therefore  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  had  the  greater  opportunity  to  befriend  other 
churches  : — afterwards  Rome  had  a  great  secular  influ- 
ence on  the  empire  : — because  in  the  diyisions  of  the 
Easterns  about  Arianism,  they  thought  that  the  counte- 
nance of  the  orthodox  in  the  West  might  have  done  some- 
what to  turn  the  scales  : — and  because  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  being  taken  for  the  patriarch  of  the  first  place, 
his  voice  might  do  much  against  an  adversary. 

Eusebius,  Mclctiiis,  Basil,  and  the  rest  of  the  ortho- 
dox, being  both  pestered  with  the  Arians,  and  all  to 
pieces  also  among  themselves,  sent  for  help  to  the  West. 
Basil.  Ep.  69.  But  whom?  and  for  what  ?  not  to  the 
bishop  of  Rome  only,  nor  by  name,  but  equally  to  the 
bishops  of  Italy  and  France,  without  any  mention  of  the 
Roman  power.  Not  that  the  pope  might  cecide  all  by 
his  sovereign  power,  which  certainly  was  so  near  a  way 
to  their  relief,  that  no  wise  man  can  imagine  them  so 
mad  as  to  forget  it,  if  it  had  been  a  thing  then  known  and 
afjproved  of  :  but  only  they  desire  that  some  may  be 
sent  to  help  them  to  be  the  stronger  party  in  a  synod,  or 


JUOOLINO.  173 

^t  least  some  one  to  comfort  them,  and  put  sonic  coun- 
tenance on  tlicir  cause*  Epist*  70,  Basil  writetli  liiinself 
in  the  name  of  tiie  rest :  but  to  whom  1  to  the  hisho{)S 
©f  France  and  Italy  ;  and  France  before  Italy  ;  without 
taking  notice  of  a  universal  head  of  the  church  at  Rome. 
What  doth  he  importune  them  fori  not  that  the  pope 
would  decide  the  controversy:  but  that  they  would  ac- 
quaint the  emperor  with  their  state,  because  the  West 
had  an  orthodox  emperor,  and  the  East  an  Arian,  or 
send  some  to  see  how  it  stood  with  them.  So  that  it 
was  but  either  help  from  the  emperor,  or  countenance 
from  the  number  of  bishops  because  they  were  over- vot- 
ed, tliat  they  desired.  Epis.  74,  Basil  again  writes  to 
the  bishops  of  the  West,  no  more  to  the  Roman  bishop 
than  the  rest :  and  he  giveth  those  reasons ;  "  for  what  we 
here  speak  is  suspected,  as  if  we  spoke  through  private 
contention. — But  for  you,  the  fartlier  you  are  remote 
from  them  by  habitation,  so  much  credit  you  have  with 
the  people,  whereto  is  added  that  the  grace  of  God 
helpeth  you  to  relieve  the  oppressed  :  and  if  many  of 
you  unanimously  decree  the  same  things,  it  is  manifest 
that  the  multitudo  will  produce  a  certain  reception  of 
your  opinion."  Wonderful !  if  there  were  a  vicar  general 
of  Christ  at  Rome,  that  it  never  came  into  their  mind  to 
crave  his  decision  or  help,  as  such.? 

O  but  say  the  Papists,  that  was  because  they  had  to 
do  only  with  the  Arians,  that  cared  for  no  authority  that 
was  against  them.  But  would  the  Arians  have  so  much 
regarded  the  votes  of  the  French  and  Italian  bishops,  or 
a  few  men  sent  from  them,  and  yet  not  regard  the  head 
of  the  church  1  The  Arians  had  heard  of  this  headship, 
if  any  had.  And  would  not  the  orthodox  desire  so  much 
as  a  word  from  Rome  for  this  advantage  ?  But  it  is  false 
that  against  the  Arians  only  they  called  for  help.  They 
expressly  say;  that  it  was  also  because  they  were  divid- 
ed among  themselves,  by  personal  quarrels.  How  im- 
portunately doth  Gregory  Nyssen  afterward  call  for  help 
from  others,  and  telf Flavianus,  in  his  epistle  to  him,  of 
their  misery  as  if  all  were  lost  1  And  the  only  sad  in- 
stance was,  that  Helladius  had  proudly  neglected  him, 
and  made  him  stand  at  his  door,  when  he  went  to  visit 
him,  a  great  while  before  he  was  let  in  ;  and  then  did  not 

15* 


It4  JESuif 

bid  him  sit  down  ;  and  then  did  not  speak  to  him  first 
but  two  or  three  strange  angry  words:  That  was  the 
great  business.  Basil.  Epist.  77.  chided  the  Western 
bisliops,  lor  not  sending  to  them,  nor  regarding  them 
and  their  communion  :  and  to  touch  their  pride,  he  adds, 
*•  We  have  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  hope.  Whether  you 
think  yourselves  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  the 
head  cannot  say  to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you,  or  if 
you  place  yourselves  in  the  order  of  other  church  mem- 
bers, you  cannot  say  to  us,  we  need  you  not."  Would 
you  believe  that  the  Papists  cite  this  passage  of  Basil, 
for  their  headship,  because  here  is  the  word  head!  When 
it  is  plain,  tliat  Basil  by  the  head  means  but  llie  c/iiefesi 
part,  and  not  the  sovereign  power.  It  is  also  most  evi- 
dent, that  he  speaks  to  all  the  bishops  of  the  West,  and 
not  to  the  Roman  bishop  ;  and  that  he  doth  it  as  a  smart 
reproof  of  their  arrogancy,  and  not  in  any  ap[)robation 
at  all  of  their  usurped  power. 

3.  When  the  Papists  find  any  heresy  condemned  by  tlie 
Bishop  of  Rome,  they  cite  tliis  as  a  testimony  of  their 
sovereignty.  As  if  other  patriarchs  and  bishops  con- 
demned them  not  as  well  as  they  ;  or  as  if  we  knew  not 
that  the  church  desired  the  most  general  vote  against 
heretics,  and  therefore  would  be  loth  to  leave  so  great  a 
bishop  out. 

4.  When  they  find  the  pope  excommunicating  foreign 
bishops,  they  cry  up  this  as  a  testimony  of  the  headship  : 
as  if  to  refuse  communion  witli  another  church  or  bishop 
is  an  act  of  jurisdiction  over  them.  Other  bishops  have 
also  excommunicated  the  pope :  Niccphorus  lib.  17. 
cap.  26.,  sailh  Vigilius,  proceeded  to  that  insolence,  that 
ho  excommunicated  Mennas  for  four  months.  Mennas 
did  the  same  by  him  ;  but  Justinian  being  moved  to  an- 
ger with  such  things,  sent  some  to  lay  hold  on  him. 
Vigilius  being  afraid  of  himself,  fled  to  the  altar  of  Ser- 
gius  the  Martyr,  and  laid  hold  on  the  sacred  pipes,  and 
would  not  be  drawn  away  till  he  had  pulled  them  down. 
But  by  the  mediation  of  tlie  Empress  Theodora,  tho 
pope  was  pardoned,  and  Mennas  and  he  absolved  one 
another.  A  fair  proof  of  llie  vicarship  !  Pope  flonorius 
was  condemned  tor  an  heretic  by  two  or  three  general 
councils. 


jtaoLiKG.  175 

5.  When  they  meet  with  any  big  words  of  tiieii  own 
popes,  they  take  it  for  a  proof  of  the  vicarshi[):  as  if 
big  words  did  j>rove  authority.  Or  as  if  we  knew  not 
iiow  lowly  they  sj)oke  to  those  tiiat  were  above  them. 
Gregory  was  high  enough  towards  tliose  that  he  tlioiight 
he  could  master :  but  what  low  submissive  language  doth 
he  use  to  secular  governors  above  him  ?  VV  hat  llattering 
language  did  his  successors  use  to  the  most  base  mur- 
derers and  usurpers  of  the  empire  1 

6.  Another  Roman  deceit  is  tliis  :  When  thej  find  any 
mention  of  the  exercise  of  the  thriving  Roman  power, 
over  their  own  diocess  or  patriarchal  circuit,  they  would 
hence  prove  that  universal  power  over  all.  By  that  rule 
the  patriarcii  of  Alexandria  or  Constantinople  may  prove 
as  much. 

7.  When  they  meet  with  passages  that  speak  of  the 
elevation  of  their  pope  to  be  the  first  patriarch  in  the 
Roman  empire,  or  any  power  that  by  the  emperors 
was  given  him,  they  cunningly  confound  the  empire 
with  the  world,  and  especially  if  they  find  it  called  by 
the  name  of  the  world,  and  they  would  persuade  you 
that  all  other  Christians  and  churches  on  earth,  did 
ascribe  as  much  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  as  the  Roman 
empire  did.  It  is  true  that  he  was  in  the  empire,  ac- 
knowledged to  be  first  in  order  or  dignity,  because  of 
Rome  the  seat  of  his  episcopacy,  especially  when  gene- 
ral councils  begfan  to  trouble  themselves  and  the  world 
about  such  matters  of  precedency.  They  usually  called 
the  empire  all  the  world  :  and  from  such  passages  would 
the  Papists  prove  tlie  primacy  at  least  of  the  pope  over 
all  the  world.  But  put  these  Jugglers  to  it,  to  prove  if 
they  can,  that  beyond  the  river  Euphrates,  and  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  Roman  empire,  the  pope  did  cither 
exercise  dominion,  or  was  once  so  niuch  as  regarded  by 
them,  any  more  than  any  other  bishop,  except  there  were 
atiy  adjacent  island  or  country  that  had  their  dependence 
upon  the  empire.  They  will  not  deny  that  the  church 
extended  much  beyond  the  empire.  Let  them  prove  if 
they  can,  that  ever  any  of  those  churches  had  any  re- 
gard to  the  Roman  bishop  any  more  than  to  another 
man.  Let  them  tell  you  where  any  empire  out  of  tho 
line  of  the  imperial  power,  was  any  whit  subject  to  tho 
pope. 


ITC  JESUIT 

8.  But  their  chief  fraud  is  about  names  and  words* 
When  they  meet  with  any  high  complimcntal  title  given 
to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  they  presently  conclude  that  it 
signifieth  his  sovereignty. 

".Sometimes  the  Roman  bishops  are  called  Summi  Pon- 
tifices,  the  chief  popes  :  and  hence  some  gather  their 
supremacy.  But  Baronius  their  chief  flatterer  tells  in 
Martyrolog.  Roman,  April,  9,  that  it  was  the  ancient 
custom  of  the  church  to  call  bishops  not  only  pontifices 
popes,  but  chief  popes.  And  then  citing  a  passage  of 
Jerom.  Epst.  99,  he  adds,  "  Those  that  understand  not 
this  ancient  custom  of  speech,  refer  those  words  to  the 
po])cdom  of  the  church  of  Rome." 

The  names  Papa,  Pope,  Dorainus,  Pater  sanctissimus, 
beatissimus,  dci  amantissimus,  ifcc,  were  commonly 
given  to  other  prelates. 

What  if  Rome  were  called  the  mother  of  all  churches? 
Basil  saith,  that  the  church  of  Ccesarea  is  the  mother  of 
all  churches  in  a  manner.     Jerusalem  has  oft  that  title. 

Sometimes  they  find  Rome  called  Caput  Ecclesiaruni, 
and  then  they  think  they  have  won  the  cause.  But  it  is 
no  more  than  that  priority  of  dignity  which  not  Christ, 
but  the  emperors  and  councils  gave  them,  that  is  intend- 
ed in  the  word.  It  is  called  the  head,  that  is  the  chief 
seat  in  dignity,  witliout  any  meaning  that  the  pope  is  the 
universal  monarch  of  the  world. 

The  pope  is  called  the  archbishop  of  tlie  catholic 
church,  or  the  universal  bishop  ?  Three  flattering  monks 
at  the  council  of  Chalcedon,  do  so  supersciibc  their 
libels  :  but  they  plainly  mean  no  more  than  the  bishop 
that  in  order  of  dignity  is  above  the  rest,  and  many  par- 
ticular churches  are  oft  called  catholic  churches.  Tliere 
is  a  diflercnce  between  a  catholic  church  and  the  catho- 
lic church.  Tiie  prelate  of  Constantinople  had  that  title, 
even  by  a  council  at  Constant,  an.  518,  before  the 
15isliop  of  Rome  had  it  publicly,  or  owned  it.  It  was  set- 
tled on  the  patriarch  of  Constantino[)le  to  be  called  the 
oecumenical  or  universal  patriarch.  Who  knoweth  not 
that  emperors  gave  such  titles  at  their  pleasure  ]  Jus- 
tinian at  one  time  would  give  the  primacy  to  Rome,  and 
at  another  time  to  Constantinople,  saying,  "  the  church 
of  Constantinople    is  the  head  of  all  other  churches." 


JUGGLING.  177 

An.  Dom.  530.  C  de  Episcopis.  I.  1.  lege  24.  Justi- 
nian who  sonictinies  calls  Rome  the  head,  when  the  sixth 
ircneral  council  iiad  condemned  Vigilius  Pope  of  Rome, 
permitted  Theodora  his  empress  to  cause  him  to  he  fetched 
to  Constantinople,  and  dragged  about  the  street  in  a 
halter,  and  then  banished,  till  they  had  forced  him  to  sub- 
scribe and  submit  to  tlie  council:  even  as  they  had  de- 
posed Pope  Silverius  his  predecessor.  Baronius  himself 
mentioned  a  Vatican  monument  which  calls  Agapetus 
cliief  bishop  so  doth  it  call  Mennas,  the  apostolic  univer- 
sal bishop  :  which  Baronius  sailh,  doth  mean  no  more 
tlian  that  he  was  universal  over  his  own  provinces :  and 
if  that  be  so,  any  bishop  may  be  called  universal.  One 
council  of  Carthage  decreed  that  the  bishop  should  be 
called,  "  not  the  chief  priest,  or  the  chief  of  priests,  but 
tlie  bishop  of  the  first  seat."  And  how  long  will  they 
shut  their  eyes  against  the  testimony  of  two  of  their  own 
popes,  Pelagius  and  Gregory  who  condemned  the  namo 
of  universal  bishop  1 

They  find  the  church  of  Rome  called  apostolic,  and 
»o  were  others  as  well  as  that. 

The  pope  is  called  the  pillar  of  the  church  ;  and  what 
of  that  ?  so  are  many  others  as  well  as  he  ;  as  all  the 
apostles  were  as  well  as  Peter?  the  church  is  built  on 
the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets.  The  pas- 
tors of  the  church  were  ordinarily  called  the  pillars  and 
props  of  it. 

When  the  Papists  read  their  popes  called  the  succes- 
sors of  Peter,  they  take  this  as  a  proof  of  their  sover- 
eignty. Whereas  Peter  himself  had  no  such  sovereignty. 
They  succeeded  him  not  in  his  apostleship.  They  are 
called  Paul's  successors  as  well  as  Peter's.  Others  are 
called  Peter's  successors  too  as  well  as  they,  by  the 
fathers.  And  other  bishops  ordinarily  are  called  the 
apostles'  successors,  and  other  churches  called  apostolie 
churches. 

Hcsych.  Hierosol.  apud  Plwtium  Cod.  2G9.  says  of 
Andrew  the  apostle;  "the  first  begotten  of  the  apostolic 
choir,  the  first  fixed  pillar  of  the  church  ;  the  Peter  of 
Peter,  or  the  Rock  of  Peter,  the  foundation  of  the  foun- 
dation ;  the  principal  of  the  principal,  who  called  before 
he  was  called,  and  brought  others  to  Christ  before  ho 
was  brought  to  him  by  any  others." 


178  JESUIT 

Hesychius  also  saith  of  James  apud  Photium  Cod, 
275.  "with  wliat  praises  may  I  set  forth  the  servant  and 
brother  of  Christ,  the  chief  emperor  or  commander  or 
captain  of  the  new  Jerusalem  ;  the  prince  or  chief  of 
priests,  the  president  or  principal  of  the  apostles,  the 
crown  or  leader  among  the  heads,  the  principal  lamp 
among  the  lights ;  the  principal  planet  among  the  stars  ? 
Peter  speaketh  to  the  people ;  but  James  giveth  the 
law,  or  sets  down  the  law."  Where  is  more  than  this 
said  of  Peter  himself]  much  less  of  the  pope? 


CHAPTER     XVIII. 

Popish  For :^eries ;  and  Corruptions  of  authors. 

Another  of  the  principal  deceits  of  the  Papists  is 
this;  they  forge  and  corrupt  councils  and  fathers,  aiid 
then  cite  those  forgeries.  Be  careful  therefore  how  you 
receive  their  allegations,  till  you  have  searched  and  know 
the  books  to  be  genuine,  and  the  particular  words  to  be 
there,  and  uncorrupted. 

1.  Tiiey  obtained  the  opportunity  of  possessing  so 
many  libraries,  that  they  might  the  easilier  play  this 
abominable  game.  But  God  in  mercy  hath  kept  so 
many  monuments  of  antiquity  out  of  their  hands,  partly 
in  the  Eastern,  and  partly  in  the  reformed  churches,  as 
suffice  to  discover  abundance  of  their  wicked  forgeries 
and  falsifications. 

2.  Of  their  forging  canons  and  feigning  councils  which 
never  were  as  Concil.  Sinucssan.  Concil.  Rom.  sub  Sil- 
vester; Ushfr^s  Ansiccr  to  the  Jes.  p.  12,  13.  Of  their 
forging  Constant ineh  Donation  and  Isidore  Mcrcator''s 
forging  a  fardel  of  decretals;  and  of  their  falsifying  and 
corrupting  in  the  doctrine  of  the  sacrament,  read  the 
works  of  Ambrose,  Chrysostom,  Fulbert,  Raban,  Bertram, 
Ratrannus,  &c.,  who  detect  their  horribly  impious 
cheats.  But  their  Indices  expurgatorii  will  acquaint 
you  with  mu.^h  more.  Yet  their  secret  expurgations  are 
worst  of  all.     James^  corruption  of  councils. 

3.  Andreas     Schottus   the  Jesuit   publishing    Basil's 


JUGGLING. 


179 


works  at  Antwerp  A.  I).  1616.  with  Jesuitical  fidelity, 
left  out  the  epistle,  in  whicii  is  the  followinij^  passage. 
Speaking  of  the  Western  bishops  lie  saith,  "verily  the 
manners  of  proud  men  grow  more  insolent,  if  they  bo 
honored.  If  God  he  niercifid  to  us,  what  other  addition 
have  we  need  of  t  hut  if  (Jod's  anger  on  us  remain,  what 
help  can  the  pride  of  the  West  bring  us?  when  they 
neither  know  the  truth,  nor  can  endure  to  speak  it;  but 
being  prepossessed  with  false  suspicions,  they  do  the 
same  things  now,  which  they  did  in  the  case  of  Marcellus, 
contentiously  disputing  against  those  that  taught  the  truth, 
but  for  heresy,  confirming  it  by  their  authority.  Indeed  I 
was  willing,  not  as  representing  the  public  person  of  the 
East,  to  write  their  leader  Damasus,  but  nothing  about 
church  matters  ;  that  1  might  intimate  that  they  neither 
knew^  the  truth  of  the  things  that  are  done  with  us,  nor 
did  admit  the  way  by  which  they  might  learn  them. 
And  in  general,  that  they  siiould  not  insult  over  the  calam- 
itous and  alllicted,  nor  think  that  pride  did  make  for 
their  dignity,  when  that  one  sin  alone  is  enough  to  make 
us  hateful  to  God."  In  which  you  may  see  the  Roman 
power  in  those  days,  in  the  consciences  of  Basil  and 
other  fathers  in  the  East. 

4.  How  Tertullian  reverenced  them,  you  may  see  lib. 
tic pudicit.  where  he  condemns  Zepherinus.     The  Asian 
bishops  condemned  A'ictor,  and  IreucKus  reproved  him. 
Cyprian  and  Firniilian  condemned  Stephen  :  Marcellin- 
us  was  condemned  by  all.     Liberius  was  oft  cftiathema- 
tized  by  Hilary.     Tiie  resistance  of  Zosimus  and  Boni- 
face by  the  Africans,  «fcc.  shows  plainly  in  what  esteem 
the    now    infallible   universal  head    was  then  among  the 
fathers  and  in  all  the  churches.     Wlien  the  Papists  men- 
tion such  passages,  what  juggling  do  they  use?  some- 
times they  silence  them :  sometimes  they  pass  them  over 
in  a  few  words  that  are  buried  in  a  heap  of  other  mat- 
ters :  and  sometimes  they  bring  in  forgeries  to  obscure 
them.     But  commonly  they  make  a  nose  of  wax  of  coun- 
cils and   fathers,  as  well  as  of  Scripture,  and  put   any 
ridiculous  sense    upon  them  that  shall  serve  their  turn, 
though  perhaps  six  among  them  may  have  six  expositions. 
An  epistle  of  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  to  Austin  is  forged 
by  one  that  Molanus  calleth  a  barbarous  impostor  ;  His- 


180  JEStTt 

tor.  Imag.  I.  3.  c.  36.  about  the  miracles  of  Jeroni^ 
where  purgatory  and  other  errors  are  befriended.  When 
Cyril  died  thirty  years  before  Jerom.  Yet  Suarez  and 
other  most  learned  Papists  make  use  of  that  forgery. 
Mendham'* s  Policy  of  Home. 

Of  their  abominable   legends  the  wiser  sort  of  ihem- 
selve«  are  ashamed.     If  any  ancients  have   abused   the 
church  by  shameless  forgeries,  the  Papists  make  use  of 
such   as   confidently  as  if  they  were  the   word  of  God. 
Let  any  man  but  read  the  life  and  miracles  of  Thecla, 
and  try  his  faith  upon  it,  whether  he  be  able  to  believe 
that  "Thecla  stood  so  long  at  the  window  to  hear  Paul 
while  all  those  daily  applications  and  orations  were  made 
to  her  1  that  Demas  and  llermogenes  were  there  to  stir 
up  the  people  against  Paul  as  a  deceiver,  under  the  cloke 
of  being  his  companions;  that  any  of  those  orations  re- 
cited are  true,  that  her  mother  Theoclaea,  and  her  lover 
Thamiris  were  on   the   sudden   so   cru<^l  as  to  burn  her, 
while  they  are  said  so  much  to  burn  in  love  to  her;  that 
when  Tliecla  had  lormed  her  body  like  a  cross,  and  cast 
herself  into  the  flaming  pile,  the   flames  in  reverence  of 
the  cross,  became  as  a  chamber  to  her,  covering  her  like 
a  vault  from  the  people's  sight,  and  not  approaching  her  ; 
and  that  the  earth  making  a  grevious  noise,  the  showers 
and  hail  destroyed  the  people,  and  Thecla  went  her  way 
without    observance,    finding    Paul     and     Onesiphorus 
hid  in  a  sepulchre  at  prayer  for  her:    that  Paul  permitted 
lier  to  cut  her  hair,   and  change  her  habit,  and  become 
his  fellow  traveller  ;   that  Alexander  the  governor  was  so 
inflamed  with  her  beauty  at   Autioch,  even   before  she 
came  in  full  sight  of  the  people  in  the  city  gate,  that  he 
could  not  forbear,  but  presently  must  leap  upon  her  like 
a  mad  dog :   that   she   tore   his  cloak  and   threw  ofl'  his 
crown,  and  so  saved  her  virginity  ;  that  for  this  she  was 
cast  and  tied  to  wild    beasts,   and   the   lions  couched  to 
her,  and  one  lioness   fought   for   her,  and  killed  the  rest 
that  assaulted  her  ;  that  yet  they  turned  more  upon  her  : 
that  she  leaped  into  the  fish  pond  among  the  devouring 
gea  calves  ;  and  that  (ire  from   heaven   came  down  into 
the  water,  and  there  made  her  a  chamber  and  saved  her 
from  those  sea  beasts  ;  that   Falconilla's   soul   appeared 
to  her   mother  Tryphaeua  to  beg  Thecla's  prayers  that 


}UG6LING.  181 

she  might  be  admitted  into  heaven,  telling  her  how  much 
Tiiecla  was  admired  in  heaven.  That  at  Thccla's  pray- 
ers she  was  admitted  into  heaven  ;  Thelca  was  again 
tied  to  the  wild  hulls,  and  fire  set  to  them  to  enrage  them, 
the  fire  killed  them,  and  burnt  the  bonds,  and  she  was 
unhurt.  That  Thecla  again  put  on  man's  clothes,  and 
sought  Paul:  that  Paul  hereupon  pronounced  her  an  apos- 
tle and  ordained  her  to  go  and  preach  the  Gospel,  and 
appointed  her  to  one  Pagan  city ;  that  she  fixed  at  Seleucia, 
and  there  converted  and  baptised  many  ;  and  at  last 
after  many  miracles  did  not  die,  but  entered  alive  into 
the  earth,  which  opened  itself  for  her  in  the  place  where 
the  lioly  table  stood  ;  that  after  her  death  she  wi'ought 
one  and  thirty  miracles;  appearing  to  Basil,  and  encour- 
aging him  when  he  was  weary,  to  go  on  in  the  writing 
of  her  praises,  and  plucking  him  by  the  ear,  and  so  cur- 
ing his  headache,  which  else  would  have  prevented  his 
oration  in  her  praise  the  next  day." 

I  have  instanced  but  this  one  case  of  Thecla,  because 
it  would  be  endless  to  tell  you  of  their  fictions.  Nor  do 
I  mention  this  as  one  of  their  legends,  nor  as  a  piece  of 
Metaphrastes,  but  as  the  works  of  an  ancient  father. 
Now  either  this  is  Basil's  work,  or  it  is  not.  If  it  be  not, 
then  what  trust  is  to  be  given  to  the  Papist  antiquities, 
and  supposed  fathers :  for  this  is  one  of  them,  and  this 
story  is  vindicated  by  Petrus  Pantinus,  and  Baronius, 
An.  47,  who  bringcth  a  whole  army  of  fathers  to  attest  the 
acts  of  Thecla,  and  approveth  of  this  of  Basil's,  and  the 
like  of  Metaphrastes.  Two  testimonies  trouble  him 
shrewdly.  One  is  Tertullian,  Baptis.  cap.  18.  who 
saith  thus,  "but  if  any  women  read  the  pretended  writings 
of  Paul,  and  the  example  of  Thecla,  for  women's  liberty 
to  teach  and  baptise,  let  them  know  that  a  presbyter  in 
Asia,  that  framed  that  writing,  putting  Paul's  name  in- 
stead of  his  own,  was  cast  out  of  his  place,  being  convict- 
ed of  it,  and  confessing  that  he  did  it  in  love  to  Paul." 

The  other  is  Jerom's  testimony  Script.  Eccles.  who 
quoting  the  fore-cited  words,  saith,  "the  travels  therefore 
of  Paul  and  Thecla,  and  the  whole  fable  of  the  baptised 
lion,  we  reckon  among  Apocryphal  writings:  for  how 
can  it  be,  that  Luke  the  inseparable  companion  of  the 
apostle  was  ignorant  of  this  only  among  all  his  matters  ?" 

16 


182  jEsvtr 

But  Baronlus  thinks  that  tliose  arc  not  the  same  books 
that  TertuUian  and  Jerom  speak  against :  and  why  so  '? 
because  here  is  no  mention  of  Thecki's  preaching  and 
baptising,  nor  of  the  lion  baptised ;  and  because  so  many 
fathers  attest  the  story.  But  this  is  a  visible  falsehood, 
contrary  to  the  express  words  of  the  story,  which  feign 
Paul  to  have  sent  her  to  preach  as  a  true  apostle,  and 
mention  her  baptising  the  people  of  Seleucia.  This 
shows  how  unfit  the  fathers  are  to  be  the  authors  of  our 
faith,  or  to  be  esteemed  infallible,  who  so  easily  believe 
and  recite  the  forged  stories  of  an  Asiatic  presbyter, 
even  when  TertuUian  had  before  revealed  the  deceit. 

But  if  this  book  was  written  by  Basil  of  Seleucia,  and 
was  not  spurious,  then  they  who  rest  ujion  the  Holy 
Scriptures  alone  for  the  matters  of  their  faith,  do  take  a 
surer  and  wiser  way,  than  they  who  build  on  the  credit  of 
eredulous  impudent  fabulous  fathers. 

By  this  you  may  see  that  the  records  and  testimonies 
from  antiquity  are  not  to  be  trusted  :  even  as  Zosimus' 
report  of  the  Nicene  canon  to  the  African  council  was  not, 
who  proved  it  a  forgery,  and  so  rejected  it.  When  the 
writings  are  only  in  their  keeping,  and  their  interest  call- 
eth  them  to  deprave  them,  they  are  not  to  be  trusted  ; 
who  venture  to  corrupt  those  which  are  in  the  hands  of 
the  Christian  world. 


CHAPTER     XIX. 

Popish  Calwmuj. 

Another  of  the  Popish  devices  is,  when  they  have 
laid  their  oion  cause  upon  so  many  forgeries^  and  up- 
hold it  by  so  many  false  reports,  to  make  the  people 
believe  that  it  is  we  that  are  the  liars,  and  that  ice  are 
not  to  be  believed  in  any  thing  that  ice  say  of  them,  and 
that  we  misreport  the  fathers,  belie  the  Roman  catholies: 
and  therefore  no  man  should  read  our  books,  or  dis- 
course with  us  so  as  to  afford  us  any  credence.  We 
cannot  quote  what  is  in  their  own  writers,  but  the  igno- 
rant people  are  taught  to  say  we  slander  them.     Though 


JUGGLING.  183 

u'C  cilc  the  book,  aiul  puijjc  and  line,  and  tell  them  tliat 
they  were  jirinted  at  Konie,  or  Antwerp,  or  Paris,  by 
men  of  their  own  profession,  yet  they  believe  us  not,  for 
they  are  instructed  to  hold  us  for  liars,  that  we  may  be 
incaj)able  of  doing  them  good.  If  we  cite  any  of  the 
fathers,  they  tell  us  wo  misallege  them,  (tr  have  corruj)t- 
ed  them  or  they  say  no  such  thing.  If  we  show  them 
the  books  published  by  their  own  doctors,  and  licensed 
by  their  superiors,  and  printed  by  Papists,  yet  they  will 
not  believe  us.  And  so  they  are  taught  the  easiest  way 
in  the  world  to  repel  the  truth,  and  confute  those  that 
would  do  them  good.  It  is  no  more  but  to  say,  "you 
lie,"  and  all  is  done. 

In  such  a  case  as  this,  what  is  there  to  be  done  1  igno- 
rance and  incredulity  thus  purposely  conjoined,  are  the 
wall  of  brass  that  is  opposed  to  our  endeavors.  To  what 
purpose  should  we  speak  to  them  that  will  not  hear?  In 
such  a  case  1  know  but  two  ways.  1.  Endeavor  to  revive 
the  stupified  humanity  and  reason  of  those  men  :  and 
ask  them,  is  religion  the  work  of  a  man  or  of  a  beast '^ 
of  a  wise  man  or  of  a  mad  man  ?  Is  it  a  reasonable  or 
an  unreasonable  course  ?  if  it  be  reasonable,  why  then 
will  you  go  without  reason  upon  other  men's  bare  words  1 
but  if  you  are  so  liulc  men  as  to  venture  your  souls 
without  reason,  you  should  not  venture  against  it?  would 
you  rest  on  the  bare  word  of  one  of  those  men,  if  it 
went  against  reason?  if  so  then  you  renounce  your  man-^ 
hood.  But  suppose  you  will  be  so  unreasonable,  yet 
you  have  your  five  senses  still  ?  If  a  priest  shall  tell 
you  that  the  crow  is  white,  and  the  snow  is  black,  or 
that  you  see  not  when  you  know^  you  sec,  will  you  be- 
lieve him  ?  If  you  will  believe  them  before  your  eyes, 
and  taste,  and  feeling,  then  I  have  done  ^vith  you.  Who 
can  dispute  with  stocks  and  stones,  or  men  so  far  for- 
saken of  God,  as  to  renounce  all  their  senses  ?  but  if 
you  will  not  believe  a  Papist  against  your  eyes,  and 
other  senses,  \vhy  then  do  you  believe  that  bread  is  not 
bread,  and  wine  is  not  wine,  when  the  eyes,  and  smell, 
and  taste  of  all  men  say  it  is  ?  and  if  your  senses  tell 
you  that  your  priests  deceive  you  in  one  thing,  you 
should  not  be  so  confident  of  them  in  olher  things,  as  to 
believe  aod  hearken  to  none  but  them. 


184  JESUIT 

2.  Try  whether  you  can  procure  the  priests  to  discuss 
those  points  hefore  the  incredulous  people,  that  so  they 
may  hear  both  sides  speak  together.  Get  a  conference 
between  them,  and  some  experienced  judicious  divine. 
But  this  will  hardly  be  obtained.  For  if  it  be  to  dispute 
with  one  that  is  able,  they  pretend  a  danger  of  persecu- 
tion ;  and  no  promise  of  security  will  satisfy  them.  But 
if  it  be  a  weak  inexperienced  man  that  challengeth  them, 
then  they  will  venture,  and  take  the  advantage. 

If  nothing  else  can  be  done,  the  best  way  is  to  offer 
them  some  small  book  against  Popery  to  read.  If  they 
are  so  captivated  that  they  will  neither  hear  nor  read, 
and  their  leaders  will  not  be  drawn  to  a  dispute,  I  know 
not  what  to  do  but  leave  them,  and  let  them  take  what 
they  get  by  their  unreasonable  obstinacy.  They  are  un- 
worthy of  truth  that  set  no  more  value  upon  it. 


CHAPTER     XX. 

Popish  Miracles. 

Another  of  their  deceits  is  hi/ pretended  miracles. 
If  they  hear  of  a  girl  who  hath  hysterical  })assions  in  any 
violent  degree,  they  presently  go  to  cast  the  devil  out  of 
her,  that  so  they  may  make  deluded  people  think  that  they 
have  wrought  a  miracle.  And  weak  people,  and  per- 
haps the  diseased  woman  herself,  may  be  so  much  unac- 
quainted with  the  disease,  as  verily  to  believe  the  priests, 
tlf^t  they  have  a  devil  indeed  :  and  so  turn  Papists  when 
the  cure  is  wrought,  as  thinking  it  was  done  by  the  fineer 
of  God. 

The  same  course  they  take  also  in  distractions  of  othe^" 
diseases  ;  and  sometimes  persons  are  trained  up  by  them 
to  dissemble  and  counterfeit  a  lunatic  or  possessed  state. 
Because  Tuberville  pleads  their  miracles,  I  shall  revive 
the  memory  of  one  of  the  great  miracles  that  was  done 
among  their  proselytes  in  the  parish  of  Wolverhampton. 

At  Bilson,  in  the  parish  of  Wolverhampton  in  Stafford- 
shire there  was  a  boy  named  William  Perry,  who 
througli  Popish  devices  seemed  to  be  possessed  with  a 


JtOOLING.  185 

devil,  about  thirteen  years  old,  but  of  special  wit  above 
Jiis   age.     In   his  fits   he  seemed  to  be  deaf,  and  blind, 
writhini^  his  mouth  aside,  continually  groaninc^  and  pant- 
ing, and  when    he   was   pricked,  pinched,  whipped,  he 
professed  not  to  feel.     Ho  seemed  to  take  no  food  that 
would  digest,  but  with  it  cast  up  rags,  thread,  straw,  pins, 
&c.,  his  belly  almost  as  Hat  as  his  back,  his  throat  swelled 
and  hard,  his  tongue  stiff  and  rolled  up  towards  the  roof 
of  his  mouth,  so  that  he  appeared  always  dumb,  save  that 
once  in  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  he  would  speak  a  few 
words.  It  was  thought  he  was  bewitched  by  Joan  Cocks, 
because  he  would  discern  when  that  woman  was  brought 
into  the  room,  though  it  were  secretly  done,  as  was  tried 
before    the    grand    jury    at    Staflord.      lie   would  not 
endure  the  repeating  of  tlie  tirst  verse  of  Jolm.     In  the 
beginning  was  the  loonl.,  c^'c,  but  other  texts  he  would 
endure.     When  the  parents  had  been  wearied  with  him, 
and   the  country  flocked  in  to  see  him,  a  priest  of  the 
Romish  religion  was  invited  to  cure  him.     The  priest 
exorcised  him,  praying  in  Latin  over  him,  hanging  a  stone 
about  his  neck,  washing  him  with  holy  water,  witch  water, 
and  anointing  him  with  holy  oil,  &c.,  which  seemed  to  ease 
him,  and  make  him  speak,  and  sometimes  cure  him  for  the 
time.    They  hallowed  all  his  meat  and  drink.     He  would 
not  so  much  as  eat  raisins,  or  smell  to  flowers,  unless  they 
were  blessed  by  the  priest.     He  told  them  that  while  the 
puritans  stood  by  him  he  saw  the  devil  assault  him  in  the 
shape  of  a  black  bird.     The  priest  required  the  chief 
fiend  to  show  himself:  then  the  boy  put  out  his  tongue 
swelled.     Tiie  priest  commanded  him  to  show  the  peo- 
ple by  the  sheet  before  him,  how  he  would  use  those  that 
died  out  of  the  Roman  church  :  whereupon  he  pulled  and 
bit    and  tossed  the  sheet,  till  the  people  cried  out  and 
wept.     Then  he  commanded  the  devil  to  tell  him,  how 
he  did  use  Luther,  Calvin  and  John  Fox  :  and  he  play- 
ed the  same  part  more  fiercely  than  before.     Then  the 
priest  commanded  him  to  show  what  power  he  had  of  a 
good  catholic  that  died  out  of  mortal  sin  :  and  then  he 
thrust  down  his  arms,  and  hanged  down  his  head  and 
trembled.  The  boy  promised  when  his  fit  was  over,  that 
he  would  live  and  die  a  catholic,  persuading  his  parents 
and  friends,  <fec.     In  this  manner  three  priests  one  after 

16* 


186  JEStit 

the  other  followed  the  cure,  still  succeeding,  but  yet  ilot 
curing  him  ;  that  they  might  draw  the  country  to  a 
longer  observance  of  them,  and  preached  to  them  in  the 
house,  that  the  miracle  might  be  the  more  famous.  For 
there  were  many  devils  in  him, they  saidyto  be  cast  out; 
and  it  stopped  the  cure  because  the  mother  would  not 
promise  them  to  turn  Papist  if  they  cured  him.  But  in 
the  mean  time  the  supposed  witch  was  brought  to  trial 
at  Stafford  assizes,  1620,  before  Judges  AVarburton  and 
Davies.  But  the  judges  desired  Bishop  Morton  then 
present  to  take  care  of  the  boy^  who  took  him  home  to 
his  castle  at  Eccleshall,  and  after  certain  weeks  time, 
having  determined  to  try  him,  the  bishop  came  to  the 
boy,  and  told  him  that  he  understood  that  he  could  not 
endure  the  first  verse  of  John.  And,  saith  he,  "  the 
devil  understandeth  Greek  as  well  as  English,  being  a 
scholar  of  almost  six  thousand  years  standing,  and  there- 
fore he  knows  when  I  recite  that  verse  in  Greek  :"  and 
so  calling  for  a  Greek  testament,  he  read  the  12th  verse, 
and  the  boy  thinking  it  had  been  the  first,  fell  into  his 
fit:  and  when  that  fit  was  over,  the  bishop  read  the  first 
verse,  and  then  the  boy  liad  no  fit,  thinking  it  had  been 
some  other  verse.  And  thus  they  proved  him  a  deceiver, 
and  the  boy  was  much  confounded  ;  but  pretended  more 
distraction  :  and  then  that  he  might  get  away,  he  com- 
plained of  extreme  sickness,  and  water  wa?  in  the  urinal, 
as  black  as  ink,  groaning  when  he  made  it :  but  the  third 
day  after,  they  spied  him  mixing  ink,  and  nimbly  con- 
veying away  the  inkhorn.  When  they  came  in  upon 
him,  and  found  him  in  the  conveyance,  he  broke  out  into 
tears,  and  was  suddenly  cured  ;  and  confessed  all,  how 
he  had  been  taught  his  art,  and  how  he  did  all,  and  con- 
fessed that  his  intent  was  to  be  cured  by  a  priest,  and  to 
turn  Papist. 

But  before  the  bishop  had  discovered  the  knavery,  one 
of  the  conjuring  priests  wrote  the  narrative  of  the'  busi- 
ness, entitled  A  faithful  relation  oj  the  proceedings  of 
the  catholic  gentlemen  with  the  hoy  of  Bilson,  shoiving, 
<fec.  And  they  begin  with.  Not  to  us,  O  Lord,  but  to  thy 
name  give  the  glory  !  And  so  they  proceed  to  make 
their  report  o{  it,  for  deluding  the  people,  as  a  miracle. 
At  last  the  bishop  brought  the  boy  at  the  assizes,  1621, 


JUGGLING.  187 

to  ask  pardon  openly  of  God,  and  the  woman  accused  by 
hini,  and  of  ilie  conntiy  cheated  by  liini,  and  tliere  was 
an  end  of  tliat  Popisli  miracle.  Abundance  more  such 
1  could  give  you  out  of  certain  records;  but  I  recite 
this  for  the  sake  of  the  Papists  of  Wolverhampton,  where 
Tuberville  lived. 

For  miracles,  if  you  regard  not  us,  yet  open  your  ears  to 
a  Jesuit  that  speaks  the  truth.  Joseph  Acosta  de  tcmporib, 
novis.  lib,  3.  c.  3.  "  To  all  the  miracles  of  Antichrist, 
though  he  do  great  ones,  the  church  shall  boldly  oppose 
the  belief  of  the  Scriptures  :  and  by  the  inexpugnable 
testimony  of  tliis  truth,  shall  by  most  clear  light  dispel 
all  his  jugglings  afe.clouds.  Signs  are  given  to  infidels^ 
Scriptures  to  believers;  and  therefore  the  primitive 
church  abounded  with  miracles,  when  infi  ^els  Were  to 
be  called:  but  the  last,  when  the  faithful  are  already 
called,  shall  rest  more  on  the  Scripture,  than  on  miracles. 
I  will  boldly  say,  that  all  miracles  are  vain  and  emj)ty, 
unless  they  be  approved  by  the  Scripture;  that  is,  have  a 
doctrine  conformed  to  the  Scripture.  The  Scri})ture  is  of 
itself  a  most  tirm  argument  of  truth.'* 

If  miracles  be  so  much  to  be  looked  at,  why  not  give 
us  leave  to  observe  them  ?  The  same  miracles  that  vou 
boast  of,  do  testify  against  you,  if  they  be  true.  Prosper 
makes  mention  of  a  miracle,  which  TlnjrcBus  de  DcBtnoniac. 
p.  76,  recites  was  done  by  the  sacramental  wine.  "  A 
person  possessed  by  the  devil  was  cured,  after  many 
other  means  used  in  vain,  by  the  drinking  of  the  wine 
in  the  Eucharist."  Doth  not  this  miracle  justify  us  that 
give  the  people  the  wine,  and  condemn  you,  that  refuse 
to  give  it  them  1  Many  other  miracles  the  fathers  say 
were  done  by  the  sacrament  in  both  kinds  received, 
which  condemn  vou  that  forbid  it. 


CHAPTER     XXI. 

Popish  D eceitf Illness. 

Another  of  the  Papist  ways  of  deceiving  is,  by  int' 
pudent  lies  and  slanders  against  their  adversaries ; 
which  they  vent  with  such  confidence^  that  the  seduced 


188  JEstJlt 

people  easily  believe  them.  They  who  are  taught  to  believe 
their  priests  against  their  own  seeing,  hearing,  feeling, 
tasting  and  smelling,  will  believe  the  vilest  lies  that  they 
are  i)leaseci  to  utter,  in  cases  wh.^re  the  miserable  peo- 
ple are  unable  to  disprove  them. 

1.  In  a  manuscript  of  the  Papists  which  I  lately  re* 
ceived  there  are  those  words  ;  "Luther  having  richly 
supped,  and  made  his  friends  merry  with  his  facetious 
conceits,  died  the  same  night.  This  is  testified  by  Coch- 
leus  in  vita  Luthtri.  John  Calvin,  a  branded  sodomite, 
consumed  with  lice  and  worms,  died  blaspheming  and  call- 
ingf  upon  the  devil.  This  is  registered  by  Sclilusselburge 
and  Bolsec.  These  were  the  ends  of  the  parents  of 
the  Protestant  and  prcsbyterian  pretended  reformed  re- 
ligions." 

As  if  their  own  tongue  must  sentence  them  to  hell, 
in  the  very  words  before  they  say,  "  all  liars,  their  part 
shall  be  in  the  pool  burninaf  with  fire  and  brimstone, 
which  is  the  second  death;"  and  so  make  application 
of  it  to  the  Protestants,  as  being  liars;  and  when  they 
have  done,  conclude  with  the  two  fore-cited  impudent 
lies  of  Luther  and  Calvin.  The  like  words  of  Calvin, 
Daily  hath  in  his  papers  to  Charles  I.  the  whole  writ- 
ing being  stuffed  with  such  impudent  falsehoods,  thnt  one 
would  wonder  that  human  nature  should  be  capable  of 
such  wickedness,  and  that  the  silly  people  should  swal- 
low dov»'n  such  heaps  of  deceits.  Not  those  two  alone, 
but  multitudes  of  Papists  have  written  those  lies  of 
Luther  and  Calvin.  Thyrteus  the  Jesuit  in  his  book  dc 
Dccmoniacis^  part.  1.  cap.  8.  p.  21,  tells  us;  "the  same 
day  that  Luther  died,  tliere  was  at  Gheola  a  town  in 
Brabant,  many  persons  posessed  of  devils,  that  waited  on 
tiieir  Saint  Dymna  for  deliverance,  and  were  all  that  day 
delivered :  but  the  next  day  they  were  all  possessed 
again ;  whereupon  the  exorcist  or  some  body  asked  the 
devils  where  they  had  been  the  day  before;  and  they 
answered,  that  they  were  commanded  by  their  prince  to 
be  at  the  funeral  of  their  fellow  laborer  Luther.  And 
for  proof  of  this,  Luther's  own  servant  that  was  with  him 
at  his  death,  looking  out  at  the  window,  did  more  than 
once,  to  his  great  terror,  see  a  company  of  ugly  spirits 
leaping  and  dancing   about  without :  and    also  that  the 


JUGCiLINO.  189 

crows  lollowcd  the  corpse  all  the  way  with  a  jj^reat  noise." 
O  wonderful  |)atienco  and  mercy  of  God,  that  sufler 
such  most  ahominahle  liars  to  live,  and  doth  not  cause 
some  sudden  vengeance  to  hefall  them!  I  will  tell  the 
case  of  those  two  servants  of  Christ  that  are  thus  reviled, 
even  as  their  master  was  hefore  them,  who  was  said  to 
do  miracles  hy  the  power  of  the  devil. 

Luther  was  taken  with  a  great  pain  in  his  breast, 
about  the  mouih  of  the  stomach,  and  thought  his  death 
when  it  came  would  be  sudden  ;  which  made  him  say  : 
"strike  Lord,  strike  mercifully,  for  I  am  ready."  Hav- 
ing preached  his  last  sermon  at  Wittemberg,  Jan.  17, 
he  took  his  journey  the  23d,  to  Isleben,  whither  he  was 
called.  When  he  came  thither,  he  was  grown  so  weak, 
that  they  almost  despaired  of  his  life  ;  yet  by  the  use  of 
fomentations  he  had  so  much  ease,  as  that  he  preached 
sometime,  and  did  other  work  from  Jan.  29,  to  Feb.  17. 
The  last  day  of  his  life,  though  he  was  weak,  yet  he  sat 
at  the  table  with  them,  and  at  supper  his  discourse  was 
upon  the  question,  whether  we  shall  know  one  another 
in  heaven.''  Which  he  affirmed  and  proved,  in  that 
Adam  knew  Eve  as  soon  as  he  saw  her,  that  she  was 
flesh  of  his  flesh:  and  therefore  much  more  shall  we 
know  one  another  in  heaven,  &c.  After  supper,  he 
withdrew  himself  as  he  used,  for  private  prayer  ;  but  the 
pain  of  his  breast  increased  on  him.  When  he  had  ta- 
ken a  medicine,  he  lay  down  on  a  couch  and  slept 
sweetly  two  hours,  and  then  went  to  his  chamber,  saying 
to  those  about  him  ;  "Pray  God  to  preserve  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Gospel  to  us;  for  the  pope  and  council  of 
Trent  have  stange  contrivances."  When  he  was  laid 
down  and  had  slept  a  while  he  awakened,  and  found  by 
the  increase  of  his  pain,  that  h^  was  near  his  end,  and 
spoke  to  God  as  followeth,  in  their  hearing :  "O  my 
heavenly  father,  the  God  and  father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  God  of  all  consolation,  I  thank  thee  that  thou 
hast  revealed  to  me  thy  son  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  I  have 
believed,  whom  I  have  professed,  whom  1  have  loved,  whom 
I  have  honored,  whom  the  Pope  of  Rome  and  the  rest  of  the 
rabble  of  the  ungodly  do  persecute  and  reproach  :  I  beseech 
thee,  O  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  receive  my  soul.  O  my 
heavenly  father,  though  I  am  takeii  from  this  life,  and 


190  JESUIT 

though  my  body  must  now  be  laid  down,  yet  I  know 
certainly  that  I  shall  abide  with  thee  forever,  and  that 
none  can  take  me  out  of  thy  hands."  Then  he  said  ; 
"so  loved  God  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  Son, 
that  whoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  Then  he  repeated  part  of  Psalm 
68  :  and  when  he  had  drank  a  medicine  that  was  given 
him,  he  said;  "I  go  hence  :  I  now  return  my  spirit  unto 
God,"  presently  adding,  "Father  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit,  thou  hast  redeemed  me  O  God  of  truth." 
And  so  he  died  as  if  he  were  setting  himself  to  sleep, 
without  any  sign  of  farther  pain.  But  when  they  saw 
him  dying,  Jonas  and  Cselius  asked  him,  "do  you  die 
constant  through  Christ  in  his  doctrine  which  you  have 
hitherto  preached  ?"  and  he  answered.  Yes  ;  and  never 
spoke  more.  When  he  was  dead  at  Isleben  ;  Count 
Mansfield  would  have  kept  his  body,  but  the  duke  of 
Saxony  would  not  suffer  him,  but  caused  it  to  be  carried 
back  to  Wittemberg,  and  tliere  with  great  solemnity 
interred. 

This  is  the  true  report  in  brief  of  Luther's  death, 
delivered  to  the  world  by  those  who  stood  by  him,  and 
were  eye-witnesses.  Yet  impudent  lying  Papists  have 
persuaded  their  followers  that  the  devils  were  seen  danc- 
ing about  him,  that  when  he  was  buried,  there  was  a  hor- 
rible thunder,  and  the  body  was  taken  away  out  of  the 
coflEin  by  the  devil,  and  a  stink  of  brimstone  left  behind ; 
with  more  such  stuff  as  this,  which  they  have  printed, 
and  of  which  one  would  think  even  the  father  of  lies  would 
be  ashamed. 

Of  Calvin,  not  only  those  before  mentioned,  but  also 
Bolsec,  Surius,  Prateolus,  Demochares,  Lindanus,  Sanc- 
tesius,  Cahierus,  and  others  publish  to  the  world,  not 
only  that  he  was  an  epicure,  but  a  sodomite.  Lessius 
the  Jesuit  impudently  calls  Christ  to  witness,  that  shall 
judge  all  men  according  to  their  works,  that  he  doth  not 
devise  these  things  out  of  his  own  brain,  but  from  good 
authors,  and  forty  years  current  fame.  His  authors  are 
those  Papists,  Bolsec,  Brigerus,  Stapleton,  Campian, 
Duraeus,  Surius,  and  Reginald.  Hath  hell  any  greater 
calunmies  than  those  to  fill  the  mouths  or  writings  of 
men  with  all  I 


iUGOLlNG.  l9l 

As  (or  the  time  when  they  say  lie  was  stigmatized  for 
sodomy,  it  was  when  he  was  a  Papist,  and  therefore  if 
it  liad  been  true,  it  had  been  a  greater  dishonor  to  them 
than  to  us.     But  it  is  a  mere  forgery  of  the  devil  and  a 
friar.     Bolsec  a  friar  seemed    to   turn   Protestant,  and 
coming  to  Geneva,  began  to  preach  the  Pelagian  doc- 
trine there,  and  openly  contend  against   the   pastors  in 
tho  congregation  ;   and  being  confounded  ])y  Calvin,  llie 
magistrates  imprisoned  liiu),  and  banished  him  for  sedi- 
tion.    Then  he  went  to  the  neighboring  towns,  to  play  the 
same  game  there  :  but  the  magistrates  of  Berne  also  ban- 
islied  him  out  of  their  country.      Whereupon  he  turned 
Papist  again,   and  when  Calvin   was  dead,  he  wrote  alt 
those  abominable  lies  of  him.     And  all  the  rest  took  up 
the  report  from  that  one  lying  lieretical  Papist:  and  so 
it  became  current  fame  with  them,  as  if  it  were  as  true 
as  the  Gospel.     Whereupon  our  writers  challenged  them 
to  search  the   records  at  Noviodunum,   where  they  say 
the  thing  was  done,  and  prove  that  ever  there  was  such 
a  thing  ;  or  else  bear   the  open  shame  of  liars.     They 
can  bring  no  proof,  but  call  on  us  to  disprove  it;   though 
the    city  are   Papists,   and  haters  of  Calvin.     But   the 
Papist  dean  of  that  city.  Jacobus  le  Vasscur,  published 
at  Paris,  1633,  the  annals  of  their  cathedral  church,  v.nd 
therein  pouring  out  his  hatred  against  Calvin,  doth  yet 
out  of  their  records  clear  him  of  all  those  accusations, 
and  lets  the  world  know  that  there  was  never  any  such 
thing,  and  that  they  had  no   crime  at  all  against  him,  bui 
thathe  turned  from  the  Papists;  and  that  the  mayor 
of  the  city  went  away  with  Calvin,  when  he  was  forced 
to  fly  from  his  native  country.     He  recites  all  the  pas- 
sages  of  Calvin's   life    there,  but    professeth  that  they 
had  no  more  against  him.     Thus  God  confounded  the 
lying  Papists  by  one    of    themselves,  and  the  records 
of  that  city,  where  they  said  the  thing  was  done.     And 
yet  they  believe  one  another,  and  carry  on  the  lie  to 
this  day. 

Arastrowther  the  chaplain  to  the  King  of  England's 
ambassador  with  the  emperor,  being  at  Vienna,  heard 
the  Jesuits  and  others  repeating  confidently  that  slan- 
der of  Calvin  :  whereupon  he  opened  to  them  that  evi- 
dence  against  it,   and  satisfied  them  of  the  falsehood. 


102  jESUlT 

Riret  Sum.  Conlr.  against  Baily.      Jesuita   Vaputans 
cap.  2. 

As  for  the  life  of  Calvin  after  he  forsook  the  Papists, 
if  you  will  believe  the  city  of  Geneva,  and  all  the  minis- 
ters and  others  that  were  about  him,  in  his  life  and  at  his 
death,  who  knew  better  than  Bolsec  a  fugitive  apostate  Pa- 
pist that  was  his  enemy,  and  then  far  off,  you  may  see  at 
larse  in  Melchior  Adamus,  and  Beza,  the  description  of 
a  shining  burning  light  of  which  Rome  hath  not  to  boast. 
He  was  a  man  of  admirable  judgment,  industry,  and 
piety.  When  he  had  forsaken  his  own  country  for  the 
Gospel's  sake,  and  taken  up  in  Geneva,  and  planted  the 
Gospel  there,  with  Farel  and  Viret,  at  last  the  ungodly 
part  getting  the  head,  the  ministers  were  banished  ;  and 
so  he  settled  in  another  city.  The  four  bailiffs  of  Ge- 
neva that  banished  the  ministers,  within  two  years  were 
ruined  by  the  judgments  of  God.  One  of  them  accused 
of  sedition,  seeking  to  escape  througli  a  window,  fell  and 
was  broken  to  death.  Another  was  put  to  death  for 
murder.  The  other  two  being  accused  of  mal-adminis- 
tration,  fled  and  were  condemned.  Calvin  was  sent  for, 
and  intreated  to  return  to  Geneva,  which  by  importunity, 
and  Bucer's  persuasion,  he  yielded.  There  was  he  con- 
tinually molested  by  the  ungodly,  and  loved  by  the  good. 
The  malignants  whom  he  would  restrain  by  discipline 
from  drunkenness,  and  other  wickedness,  were  still  plot- 
ting or  raging  against  him,  and  called  their  dogs  by  his 
name.  But  shame  was  slill  the  end  of  their  attempts. 
His  revenge  was  to  tell  them,  "  I  see  I  should  have  but 
sorry  wages  if  I  served  man  :  but  it  is  well  for  me  that  I 
serve  him  that  always  performeth  his  promises  to  his  ser- 
vants." He  preached  every  day  in  the  week  each  se- 
cond week,  and  read  three  days  a  week  a  divinity  lec- 
ture. Every  Thursday  he  guided  the  presbytery ;  and 
every  Friday  at  a  meeting  he  held  an  expository  confer- 
ence and  lecture ;  so  that  tiie  whole  came  to  almost 
twelve  sermons  a  week.  Besides  this,  he  wrote  epistles 
to  most  countries  of  Christendom,  to  princes,  divines 
and  others  ;  and  all  those  great  volumes  of  the  most 
learned  judicious  controversies,  commentaries,  and  other 
treatises,  which  one  would  liave  tiiought  might  have  been 
work  enough  for  a  man  that  had  lived  an  hundred  years, 


JUGGLING.  103 

if  ht3  had  done  no  other.     Many  heretics  ho  confuted, 
and  some  convinced  and   reduced.      lie  set  up  among 
ministers  a  course  of  teaching  every  family  from  house 
to  house,  of  which  he  found  incredible  fruit.     For  all 
this  his   labor  he  endured  the   affronts,   contradictions, 
and  reproaches  of  the  rabble,  and  sometimes  was  beaten 
by  them.     Because  he  would  not  administer  the  sacra- 
ment to  ungodly  men,  that  were  lulers  in  the  place,  he 
was  at  first  banished,  and  after  threatened,  and  contin- 
ually molested    by  them,  and    railing  fellows  set  to 
preach  and  write  against  him.     He  always  used  a  very 
spare  diet :   and  for  ten  years  before  his  death  did  never 
taste  one  bit,  but  at  supper,  as  his  constant  course:  so 
that  every  day  was  with  him  a  better  fast  than  the  Pa- 
pists make  on  their  fasting  days.     By  this  extreme  la- 
bor, speaking,  and  fasting,  and  watching-,  for  he  dicta- 
ted his  writings  as  he  lay  in  bed  much,  he  overthrew 
his  body  ;  falling  first  into  a  tertian  fever,  and  then  into 
a  quartan  ;  and  after  that  he  fell  into  a  consumption, 
with  the  gout  and  stone,  and  spitting  of  blood,  and  the 
disease  in  the  hemorrhoid  veins,  which  at  last  ulcer- 
ated by  over-much  fasting,  speaking,  and  use  of  aloes; 
besides  the  head-ach  which  was  the  companion  of  his 
life.     In  those   sicknesses  he  would  never  forbear  his 
labor,  but  when  he  was  persuaded  to  it,  he  told  them, 
that  he  could  not  bear  an  idle  life.     And  when  he  was 
near  to  death   was  still  at  work,   asking  those  that  in- 
treated  him  to  forbear,  whether  they  would  have  God 
find  him  idle  ?     Under  all  those  pains  of  gout,  stone, 
cholic,    headache,     hemorrhoids,     consumption,    &c. 
those  that  were  about  him  testified  to  the  world,  that 
they  never  heard  him  speak  a  word  unbeseeming  a 
patient   Christian.     The  worst  was  that  oft   repeated 
word,  "how  long,  Lord!   how  long!"  as  being  weary 
of  a  miserable  world.     Witnesses  he  had  enough  ;  for 
he  could  scarce   have  rest  for  people  crowding  to  him 
to  visit  him.     On  March  23,  he  went  among  the  minis- 
ters to  their  meeting,  and  took  his  farewell  of  them 
there.     The  next  day  he  was  wearied  by  it:  but  the 
twenty  seventh  day  he  was  carried  to  the  court,  to  the 
senate  of  the  city ;   where  he  made  a  speech  to  them, 
and  took  his  farewell  of  them,  with  many  tears  on  both 

17 


i04  JEStlTT 

sides.  April  2,  he  was  carried  to  church,  and  staid  the 
sermon,  and  received  the  sacrament.  Afterwards  the 
senate  of  the  city  came  to  him,  and  he  made  a  heavenly 
exhortation  to  them.  On  April  25,  he  dictated  his  will. 
His  library  itself,  and  ail  his  goods,  amounted  scarcely 
to  three  hundred  crowns.  May  H,  he  wrote  his  farewell 
to  FarelL  May  19,  all  the  ministers  came  to  him, 
with  whom  he  sat  and  did  eat,  and  cheerfully  took  his 
leave  of  them.  On  the  twenty-seventh  of  May  his  voice 
seemed  to  be  stronger,  and  so  continued  till  his  last 
breath  that  day,  which  was  with  such  quietness  as 
men  compose  themselves  to  sleep.  The  next  night  and 
day  tlie  city  magistrates,  ministers,  scholars,  people 
and  strangers,  were  taken  up  in  weeping  and  lamenta- 
tion. He  was  buried  according  to  his  desire  in  the 
common  church  yard,  without  any  monument  or  pomp  ; 
and  hath  left  behind  him  such  a  name,  as  in  spite  of  all 
the  devils  in  hell,  and  all  the  Papists  on  earth,  shall  be 
precious  till  the  coming  of  Christ:  and  such  waitings 
hath  he  left  as  are  the  comfort  of  the  disciples  of  truth, 
and  the  shame  of  the  reproaching  adversaries. 

This  is  that  Calvin  who  is  so  hated  by  the  bad,  and 
loved  and  honored  by  the  good:  whom  those  Papists 
have  called  an  epicure  and  sodomite,  and  said  that  he 
died  blaspheming,  and  calling  upon  th€  devil,  and  was 
eaten  with  lice  and  worms.  Is  not  God  exceedingly 
patient,  that  will  suffer  such  wretches  to  live  on  the 
earth?  what  man  could  they  have  named  since  Augus- 
tin,  yea  since  the  apostles'  days,  that  was  more  unfit 
for  such  a  slander  than  Calrin  ?  yet  because  Bolsec, 
who  was  banished  and  turned  Papist,  hath  written 
those  things  against  him,  the  rest  take  them  up  as  con- 
fidently, as  if  the  infallible  chair  had  uttered  them. 

But  yet  if  you  think  Bolsec  is  more  to  be  believed 
than  those  who  lived  with  Calvin,  and  the  city  of  Gen- 
eva, who  had  continual  access  to  him,  I  will  give  a 
testimony  which  shall  shame  the  Papists  that  have  a 
spark  of  modesty.  Hear  then  what  other  Papists  say, 
that  knew  better,  or  made  more  conscience  of  their 
words. 

Florimund  Raimund  a  Papist  of  Bourdeaux,  or  the 
Jesuit  Richeome  that  wrote  in  his  name,   wr  iting  for 


JUGGLING.  195 

the  pope  and  ai^aiiist  Calvin,  hath  tliese  words  of  liim: 
"Under  a  dry  and  lean  body  he  had  a  sharp  and  lively 
wit;  ready  in  answering;  bold  in  attempting;  a  great 
faster  ;  even  from  his  youth,  whether  for  his  health  to 
overcome  the  lieadache,  or  for  his  studies.  There  is 
scarce  a  man  found  that  ever  matched  Calvin  in  labors  : 
for  the  space  of  twenty-three  years,  in  which  he  remain- 
ed in  Geneva^  he  preached  every  day  once,  and  twice 
on  the  Lord's  day  often  times.  And  every  week  he 
read  public  lectures  of  divinity  besides  ;  and  every  Fri- 
day he  was  at  the  conference  of  the  pastors:  the  rest  of 
his  time  he  spent  cither  in  writing  books,  or  answering 
letters." 

Papirius   Massonius  a  learned   Papist,   who  wrote 
Calvin's  life  ;  saith  of  him,  "no  day  almost  passed  in 
which  he  did  not  preach  to  the  citizens.     Thrice  every 
eight  days,  as  long  as  ho  lived,  he  professed  or  publicly 
taught  divinity  in  the  schools;  being  laborious,  and  al- 
ways  w^riting  or  doing  something.     Of  a  weak  body, 
but  worn  by  watchings,  reading,  writing,  meditations, 
diseases,  business,   preachings.       He  took  very   little 
sleep,  and  therefore  much  of  his  works  he  dictated  in 
bed  to  his  servant  that  wrote  them  from  his  mouth.     He 
did  eat  but  once  a  day;  and  confessed  that  he  found 
not  a  more  present  or  surer  remedy  for  his  weakness 
of  stomach  and  headache.     His  clothing  was  of  small 
price,  to  cover  him  rather  than  adorn  him.     At  Worms 
and  Ratisbon  he  exercised  the  strength  of  an  excellent 
wit  with  so  great  applause  of  the  German  divines,  that 
by  the  judgment  of  Melartchton  and  his  associates,  by  a 
peculiar  privilege,  he  was  called  the  divine.     He  wrote 
as  much   and  as  well  as  any  man  of  the  contrary  par- 
ties, whether  you  respect  number,  acuteness,  language, 
sharpness,  emphasis  or  subtilty.     Not  a  man  of  all  his 
adversaries,  whether  catholics,  anabaptists,  Lutherans, 
Arians,  or  the  forsakers  of  his  party,  that  wrote  against 
him,  did  seem  to  match  him,  in  gravity  of  writing,  and 
weight  of  words,  and  sharpness  in  answering  his  prin- 
ciples.    He  almost  terrified   Pighius  himself  discours- 
ing of  free  will,  and  Sadaletus." 

Papists  tell  us  a  story  how  Calvin  hired  one  in  Gen- 
eva to  take  on  hinj  to  be  dead,  that  he  might  have  the 


196  JESUIT 

honor  of  raising  him  from  the  dead.  This  the  Jesuit  Thy- 
rseus  de  D^emoniacis  writes,  and  it  goes  among  them 
for  a  truth  ;  from  the  report  of  Bolsec.  But  Massonius 
confuteth  this  also,  and  saith  that  Baldwin  knew  noth- 
ing of  it,  who  lived  at  Geneva,  andaftei  turned  Papist, 
and  was  Calvin's  enemy:  and  other  reasons  he  giveth  to 
disprove  this  and  the  other  slanders  that  were  raised  of 
Calvin;  saying,  that  they  were  but  vulgar  writers,  that 
study  or  love  to  reproach  or  speak  evil,  that  vend  those 
things. 

As  they  have  done  by  those,  so  by  others  also.  When 
Beza  was  eighty  years  of  age,  a  false  report  came  to 
the  Papists  that  he  was  dead  :  whereupon  Claudius 
Puteanus  with  his  Jesuitical  companions  wrote  a  book, 
that  at  his  death  he  turned  Papist  and  renounced  his 
religion.  So  that  the  old  man  who  lived  seven  years 
longer,  wrote  against  them,  to  prove  that  he  was  not 
dead,  nor  turned  Papist.  Those  be  the  means  by  which 
men  are  recDuciled  to  the  church  of  Rome. 

They  have  printed  also  a  story  that  Calvin's  own 
son  being  bitten  by  a  mad  dog,  was  sent  by  his  father 
to  one  of  their  saint's  images  for  cure,  when  no  other 
means  would  serve ;  and  being  cured,  he  turned  Pa- 
pist: but  the  world  know  that  Calvin  never  had  a  son. 
Also  they  tell  us  of  a  saying  of  Luther's,  that  "this 
cause  was  not  begun  in  the  name  of  God,  nor  will  it 
be  ended  in  the  name  of  a  God  ;"  which  Luther  spoke 
of  Eckius  and  the  other  Papists,  yet  those  shameless 
liars  confidently  publish  that  he  spoke  this  of  himself 

They  annex  that  Luther  would  have  men  not  con- 
tain, but  he  vehemently  detcsteth  it,  and  urgeth  the  con- 
trary, telling  th  m  that  God  no  doubt  will  enable  them 
to  be  continent,  if  they  will  use  his  means.  Serm.  de- 
Matrimon.  They  forgot  that  the  fifth  supposititious  epis- 
tle of  their  Clement  pleading  for  the  community  of  all 
things,  adds,  "among  those  all,  no  doubt  wives  and  hus- 
bands are  contained." 

Of  the  horrid  lies  of  Genebrard,  Possevin,  and  other 
Papists  against  Peter  Martyr,  Beza,  Calvin  and  others, 
see  Raynolds.  de  Idololatria  Rom^  Eccl.  5. 

When  the  fall  of  their  house  at  Blackfriars  had 
killed  their  priest^  and  such  abundance  oi  the  people 


who  were  hearing-  him  in  the  midst  of  the  sermon  ;  they 
printed  a  book  to  persuade  the  people  beyond  sea,  that 
it  was  a  company  of  the  heretics  or  puritans,  that  were 
killed  at  the  hearing  of  one  their  preachers. 

When  the  Gunpowder  Plot  was  in  hand,  they  con- 
trived presently  to  give  it  all  abroad  that  the  puritans 
did  it.      Clark^s  Mirror  of  God^s  Judgments. 

When  Fisher  the  Jesuit  had  held  his  conference 
with  Featly  and  White,  there  being  present  two  earls ; 
one  of  them,  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  having  business 
shortly  after  beyond  sea,  fell  unknown  into  Weston's 
company,  at  Saint  Omers,  who  presently  told  him  for 
news,  how  Fisher  had  confounded  the  Protestant  doc- 
tors, and  that  two  earls  and  so  many  people  were  turn- 
ed by  it  to  the  Church  of  Rome;  not  knowing  that  he 
who  heard  him  was  one  of  the  two  earls,  and  that  there 
were  not  so  many  people  there,  and  how  they  were 
confirmed  against  Popery  by  that  dispute.  When  the 
Earl  of  Warwick  brought  home  that  jest,  Weston  hear- 
ing what  sport  was  made  with  it  in  England,  wrote  an 
excuse  for  his  lying. 

Their  very  worship  of  God  is  composed  of  lies,  and 
is  that  acceptable  worship?  Their  offices  and  legends 
are  stuffed  with  fictions.  Cassander  saitK  :  "  so  few  of 
the  relics  in  all  Germany  vvojild  be  found  true  ones  if 
examined,  that  it  is  better  quite  to  take  off  people 
from  the  veneration  of  them  ;"  instancing  in  one  that 
was  worshipped  as  a  saint,  and  upon  inquiry  was  found 
to  be  the  bones  of  a  thief. 

Agobard  of  Lyons,  complained  about  eight  hundred 
years  ago,  that  the  "  Antiphonary  used  in  his  church 
had  many  ridiculous  and  phantastical  things  in  it :  and 
that  therefore  he  corrected  much  of  it :  cutting  off  what 
seemed  superfluous,  or  light,  or  lying,  or  blasphemous  " 
Agobard.  ad  Cant.  Lugd.  de  Correctione  Antiphon. 
Lindan  made  the  like  complaint;  "  Not  only  apocry- 
phal matters  out  of  the  gospel  of  Nicodemus  and  other 
toys  are  thrust  in,  but  even  the  secret  prayers,  and  alas 
for  shame  and  grief,  the  very  canon  varying  and  re- 
dundant, are  defiled  with  the  most  filthy  faults." 

Therefore,  as  thou  lovest  thy  soul,  trust  it  not  on  the 
bare  reports  of  such  liars,  but  try  before  thou  trust ;  and 

17* 


I9S  jEStIt 

give  not  up  thy  sense  and  reason  to  men  that  make  sa 
little  or  so  ill  a  use  of  their  own. 


CHAPTER     XXII. 

Translations  of  the  Bible. 

Another  of  their  Deceits  is  to  quarrel  with  our 
Translations  of  the  Bible  ;  and  make  the  people  believe 
that  we  have  so  corrupted  it,  that  it  is  none  of  the  word 
of  God  and  so  they  openly  scorn  it,  and  deride  it. 

Though  learned  men  can  soon  confute  them  by  vin- 
dicating the  text  as  in  the  original  languages,  and  then 
vindicating  our  translation,  yet  the  common  disputant 
need  not  put  them  and  himself  to  so  much  trouble  If 
they  will  but  let  the  law  of  God  contained  in  the  Holy 
Scripture  be  the  rule  by  which  our  difference  shall  be 
tried  and  decided,  we  will  cut  short  the  rest  of  the  con- 
troversy, and  take  it  wholly  together  ;  and  we  will 
stand  to  the  vulgar  Latin,  which  themselves  applaud: 
and  that  shall  be  the  rule  between  us.  Rather  than 
they  shall  shift  off'  the  unlearned  by  these  tricks,  we 
will  admit  of  their  own  translation,  which  the  Rhemists 
have  composed.  Only  their  commentaries  and  conceits 
shall  not  be  taken  into  the  text  as  part  of  the  word  of 
God.  That  quarrel  is  quickly  at  an  end.  The  Scrip- 
ture is  so  full  against  them,  that  no  translation  that 
makes  it  not  another  thing,  can  be  on  their  side.  Kid- 
der's "Reflections  on  the  French  Testament,  printed  at 
Bourdeaux." 


CHAPTER     XXIII, 

Popish  Reproaches  of  Protestant  Ministers. 

Another  of  the  designs  of  the  Papists  is  io  bring' 
all  the  faithful  pastors  of  the  churches  into  contempt, 
or  suspicion  at  least,  icith  the  people,  so  that  they  may 


JvdOLisG.  109 

draw  them  to  refuse  our  helps,  and  the  Papists  may 
deal  with  them  alojie,  ivhoni  they  know  they  are 
easily  able  to  overreach.  Though  our  people  have 
not  that  absolute  dependence  upon  their  teachers  as 
theirs  have,  yet  an  ordinate  dependence  is  necessary  to 
them,  or  else  God  would  never  have  appointed  teach- 
ers and  pastors  for  his  church,  The  Papists  dare  not 
trust  their  followers  so  much  as  to  read  a  Bible  in  their 
vultrar  tono-ue  :  much  less  to  read  our  writinofs  acrainst 
their  errors  and  impieties.  Their  priests  and  friars 
ordinarily  do  not  read  them;  nor  commonly  the  writ- 
ings of  their  own  party:  nor  the  strongest  of  those  that 
are  written  against  us  :  for  fear  lest  the  objections  should 
prove  too  hard  for  the  answer,  or  lest  they  should  un- 
derstand in  some  measure,  the  truth  of  our  doctrine. 
Sandys,  in  his  Europa  Specul,  tells  how  hard  he 
found  it,  to  meet  with  the  works  of  Bellarmin  himself 
in  any  book-seller's  shop  in  Venice  or  other  parts  of 
Italy ;  but  our  people  have  all  leave  to  keep  and  read 
the  Papist  writings.  We  dare  venture  them  upon  the 
light  upon  equal  terms :  but  yet  we  know  them  to  be 
insufficient,  for  the  most  part,  to  defend  even  plain  and 
necessary  truths,  against  the  cavils  of  adversaries  that 
overmatch  them  in  learning  and  other  abilities.  Now 
lest  we  should  but  afford  them  our  assistance,  the  Pa- 
pists' principal  design  is  to  bring  them  into  false  con- 
ceits of  the  ministers,  and  make  us  odious  to  them  ;  that 
they  may  neglect  our  help,  and  the  easier  hearken  to 
other  teachers.  If  they  can  but  prevail  in  that  design, 
the  souls  of  our  people  are  like  to  be  undone. 

The  more  is  it  to  be  feared,  lest  at  last  they  should 
this  way  prevail,  both  because  of  the  sin  that  lieth  on 
ourselves  in  too  reserved  and  negligent  a  doing  of  our 
work;  and  because  of  the  great  obstinacy  and  unprofit- 
ableness of  the  people,  that  hate  the  light,  and  unthank- 
fully  despise  it,  or  will  not  obey  it,  and  work  by  it 
while  they  may. 

The  designs  of  the  Papists  against  the  ministry  are 
these.  They  principally  endeavor  to  delude  the  rulers 
of  the  land,  and  set  them  aginst  them. 

They  labor  by  scoffs  and  nicknames  to  make  them 
odious.     As  they  were  the  authors  or  chief  fomenters 


200  JESUIT 

of  the  old  scorn  under  the  name  of  Puritans,  so  are 
they  of  many  more  of  late.  If  you  hear  men  set  them- 
selves of  purpose  to  scorn  or  vilify  the  ministry,  they 
are  either  secret  Papists,  or  their  deluded  servitors.  If 
they  speak  of  men  that  regard  the  ministry,  and  be  not 
hardened  as  they  to  a  despising  of  Christ  in  his  ser- 
vants, they  call  such  priest-ridden  ;  and  the  pastors  they 
scornfully  call  jack-presbyters,  drpvines]  and  many- 
other  scoffs  are  at  hand,  to  serve  the  ends  of  the  devil 
and  the  pope,  by  alienating  the  affections  of  the  people 
from  their  teachers,  that  so  they  may  devour  them  at 
pleasure. 

Another  of  their  ways  of  reproach  is  this :  they  tell 
the  people  what  odious  divisions  are  among  us,  and 
how  many  minds  we  are  of  and  how  oft  we  change; 
and  such  like  reproaches.  While  they  never  tell  them 
how  much  more  changeable  they  have  been,  and  what 
divisions  are  among  themselves,  incomparably  beyond 
all  ours. 

Another  reproach  that  the  Papists  cast  on  the  minis- 
try, is  greediness,  covetousness,  and  being  hirelings. 

I  will  give  a  brief  comparison  between  the  Papist 
priests  and  the  ministers  of  Christ,  that  thou  mayest 
see  whether  those  men  be  fit  to  rail  at  us  as  mercena- 
ries, and  such  as  are  the  servants  of  mammon. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  ministers  of  this  land,  and 
of  all  the  reformed  churches  commonly,  do  many  of 
them  want  necessaries,  and  some  want  food  and  rai- 
ment, and  the  rest  of  them,  for  the  most  part  have  little 
more,  and  no  superfluities.  Some  that  have  not  wives 
and  children  give  all  they  can  gather  to  the  poor. 
Some  give  more  to  charitable  uses,  than  they  receive 
for  the  work  of  their  ministry;  living  on  their  own 
means.  This  is  the  height  of  their  covetousness  and 
ambition. 

Take  a  view  of  the  Popish  clergy,  for  greatness, 
riches,  and  numerousness.  The  pope  who  is  their 
chief  priest,  pretendeth  to  the  government  of  all  the 
Christian  world.  Emperors  and  kings  have  kissed  his 
feet,  and  held  liim  the  stirrup.  One  emperor  was  forced 
to  wait  bare  foot  at  his  gates  a  long  time  in  patience, 
till  he  pleased  to  open  them,     Another  being  forced  to 


JUGGLING.  201 

prostrate  himself  to  liim,  the  pope  set  his  foot  upon  his 
neck,  profanely  abusing  ihe  words  of  Psalm  91.  13. 
He  shall  tread  on  the  lion  and  adder,  &c.  Divers 
princes  hath  he  deposed.  He  hath  claimed  a  supre- 
macy in  temporals  and  spirituals,  and  his  most  moder- 
ate flatterers  subject  princes  to  him.  General  councils 
approved  by  him,  decreed  that  he  shall  excommunicate 
and  depose  princes,  who  will  not  extirpate  those  that  he 
calleth  heretics,  and  shall  commit  the  government  to 
others,  or  give  their  countries  to  the  first  that  can  seize 
on  them,  and  absolve  all  their  vassels  for  their  allegi- 
ance, in  despite  of  oaths  and  God's  commands.  He  is 
a  temporal  prince  himself,  having  large  dominions. 
He  hath  so  numerous  a  clergy  in  the  countries  of  all 
Popish  princes,  as  makes  him  great  and  formidable  to 
them.  His  cardinal  priests  are  equal  to  princes,  and 
greater  than  many  princes  are. 

For  their  riches  and  numbers,  to  say  no  more  of 
their  pope  and  cardinals,  they  have  such  multitudes  of 
arch-bishops,  priests,  abbots,  priors,  friars,  and 
Jesuits,  as  to  take  up  a  great  part  of  the  land  where 
they  live.  Take  one  instance  of  the  Popish  clergy  in 
France 

Bodin,  a  French  judge  in  France,  saith:  Hcylin's 
Geography,  page  148.  "That  the  revenues  of  the 
clergy  there  are  five  millions  seven  hundred  and  sixty 
thousand  dollars  per  annum ;  and  that  they  possess 
seven  parts  of  twelve  of  the  whole  revenue  of  the  king- 
dom." Comment  de  stat.  saith,  "  The  clergy  have  near 
a  fourth  part  of  the  lands  of  all  the  kingdom,  besides 
the  ofllerings,  churchings,  burials,  dirges,  and  such  like 
casualties,  which  amount  to  as  much  as  their  rents, 
which   comes  to  half  the  kingdom:  upon  which  Ed- 

'  '11' 

win  Sandys  computes  their  revenue  at  six  millions 
sterling  yearly."  One  kingdom  hath  thirteen  arch- 
bishops, a  hundred  and  four  prelates,  a  thousand  four 
hundred  and  fifty  abbies,  five  hundred  and  forty  arch- 
priories,  twelve  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty 
priories,  five  hundred  sixty  seven  Nunneries,  seven 
hundred  Convents  of  friars,  and  two  hundred  fifty  nine 
Commanderies  of  Malta  ;  besides  all  the  colleges  of  the 
Jesuits.     The  parish  priests  are  one  hundred  and  thir- 


202  JESUIT 

ty  thousand  of  all  sorts.  The  kingdom  is  supposed  to 
have  about  fifteen  millions  of  people;  but  the  clergy 
and  their  ministers  are  judged  to  be  three  millions  of 
them.     This  account  is  only  for  France. 

Are  the  tongues  of  those  men  fit  to  call  us  mercena- 
ries, or  hirelings,  or  such  as  preach  for  filthy  lucre? 
Was  ever  greater  impudence  manifested  by  the  vilest 
son  of  Adam,  than  for  such  men  that  lord  it  over  em- 
perors, kings  and  princes,  and  devour  the  wealth  of  the 
Christian  world,  to  call  poor  ministers  of  Christ,  covet- 
ous, or  hirelings,  that  are  content  with  food  and  rai- 
ment, and  a  common  education  of  their  children?  If 
you  had  rather  have  the  Popish  priesthood,  with  the 
numberless  swarm  of  friars,  you  may  take  them,  and 
say,  you  had  your  choice  !  White's  "  Orthodox  faith, 
and  way  to  the  church  explained  and  justified." 

ICP'  The  great  Abbey  of  St.  Alban's,  if  all  the  old  lands  were 
united  together,  is  now  worth,  in  all  its  rents,  profits,  and  reve- 
nues yearly  about  200,000  pounds,  one  million  of  dollars.  The 
Abbey  of  Glastonbury,  300,000  pounds  :  the  Abbey  of  Augusiin, 
at  Canterbury,  200,000  pounds  ;  Edmondsbury,  the  same  ;  Romsey, 
300,000  pounds  ;  Crowland,  100,000  ;  Leicester,  100,000  ;  Evesham, 
100,000,  Tewksbury,  100,000;  Abingdon  and  Readmg,  300,000. 
If  the  revenues  of  all  the  Abbey  lands  should  be  accounted  accord- 
ing to  the  true  \alualion  of  these  times,  it  would  be  found  to  be  so 
many  millions  as  is  incredil)le.  Treasury  of  England,  or  account 
of  all  taxes;  London,  1725.  The  above  is  an  account  of  only  ten 
rnonasteiics ;  and  one  hundred  and  ten  years  ago  ;  their  annual 
rent  was  computed  at  nine  millions  one  hundred  and  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars — and  at  the  present  valuation  it  may  be  reckoned 
tuenty  mi  lions  of  dollars.  The  present  interest  of  the  national 
debt  in  Great  Britain  is  far  less  than  the  actual  robberies  of  the 
Popish  priests  and  friars,  and  nuns,  during  the  reign  of  Popery. 

1  ne  English  Episcopal  dioceses  before  the  Reformation  were  va- 
lued by  Stevens,  a  Papi-t  writer,  at  the  yearly  income  of  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  each,  which  alone  made  about  fifteen 
millions  of  dollars.  From  the  above  facts,  may  be  ascestained  the 
enormous  pillage  of  the  Pvoman  hierarchy  when  they  ruled ;  and 
also  the  undeniable  cause  of  the  ignorance,  poverty,  immorality 
and  debasement  of  Papists:  in  every  generation,  and  in  all  parts  of 
tlie  world. 


JUGGLING.  203 

CHAPTER     XXIV. 

Evangelical  Laivfid  Ministi'y. 

Another  of  tlieir  designs  is  this:  to  persnade  the 
icorld  that  they  only  have  a  true  ministry  or  priest- 
hood, and  an  apostolical  episcopacy  and  true  ordina- 
tion :  and  that  ice  and  all  other  Protestant  churches 
have  no  true  ministers,  but  are  mere  laymen  under 
the  name  of  ministers,  because  u-e  have  no  just  ordina- 
tion. How  prove  the}^  all  that?  They  say,  that  they 
have  a  pope,  that  is  a  true  successor  of  Peter:  but  we 
have  no  succession  from  the  apostles,  and  therefore  no 
just  ordination,  because  no  man  can  give  that  power 
which  he  hath  not :  and  that  we  are  schismatics  sepa- 
rated from  the  church,  and  therefore  our  ordinations 
are  invalid:  and  that  some  of  our  churches  have  no 
bishops,  and  therefore  §ay  they,  we  have  no  true  min- 
istry, nor  are  they  true  churches. 

1.  Though  we  need  not  fetch  our  ordination  from 
Rome,  3'et  we  may  truly  say,  that  if  they  have  any 
true  ordination  and  ministry,  then  so  have  we ;  for 
our  iirst  reformers  were  ordained  by  their  prelates, 
which  is  enough  to  stop  their  mouths.  If  they  say 
that  our  schism  hath  cut  off  our  power  of  ordination,  1 
answer,  that  though  they  are  notorious  schismatics, 
yet  if  we  were  what  they  falsely  say  we  are,  it  would 
not  annul  our  ordination.  This  is  the  judgment  of 
their  own  writers.  Thomas  a  Jesu  Conversione  gen- 
tium, lib.  6.  cap.  9.  affirms  it  to  be  one  of  the  certain- 
ties agreed  on  ;  "  schismatics  lose  not,  nor  can  lose 
any  spiritual  power  consisting  in  the  spi^-itual  character 
of  baptism,  or  orders  For  this  is  indelible,  as  Thom- 
as teacheth,  Art.  3.  and  Turrecremata  confirmeth,  lib. 
4.  sum.  part.  1.  c.  7:  and  Silvester  verb,  schismatici : 
and  it  appeareth  by  Pope  Urban's  can.  ordinationes,  9. 
q.  1  ;  who  judgeth  those  to  be  truly  ordained,  that  were 
ordained  by  schismatical  bishops  :  and  from  Austin  lib. 
6.  de  Bapt.  Cont.  Donatist.  cap.  5,  where  hesaith  "a  se- 
paratist may  deliver  the  sacrament  as  well  as  have  it.  He 
next  addeth,  that  yet  such  are  deprived  of  the  faculty 


204  JESUIT 

of  lawfully  using  the  power  which  they  have,  so  that  it 
will  be  their  sin  to  use  it:  and  that  thus  those  are  to 
be  understood  that  speak  against  the  ordination,  &c.  of 
schismatics.  It  is  unlawful,  because  their  power  is  sus- 
pended by  the  church,  but  not  a  nullity,  because  they 
have  the  power.  He  puts  the  question  whether  schis- 
matical  presbyters  and  bishops  do  want  the  power  of 
order,  or  only  want  jurisdiction  ?  and  he  answereth  out 
of  Thorn.  22.* q.  39.  art.  3,  "they  want  jurisdiction,  and 
cannot  absolve,  excommunicate,  or  grant  indulgences, 
and  so  they  cannot  elect  and  give  benefices,  and  make 
laws.  But  yet  they  have  the  power  of  orders  ;  and 
therefore  a  schismatical  bishop  doth  truly  make  and 
consecrate  the  Eucharist  and  truly  ordain ;  and  when 
he  electeth  and  promoteth  any  to  ecclesiastical  orders, 
they  truly  receive  the  character  of  order,  but  not  the 
use,  because  they  are  suspended,  if  knowingly  they  are 
ordained  by  a  schismatical  bishop.  He  next  asketh, 
whether  this  punishment  depriving  them  of  jurisdiction 
take  place  with  all  schismatics?  and  answers,  that  some 
say  before  the  council  of  Constance  this  punishment  be- 
longed to  all  notorious  schismatics,  but  not  to  the  un- 
known ones :  but  since  that  council,  it  takes  place  only 
on  those  that  are  expressly  and  by  name  denounced,  or 
manifest  strikers  of  the  clergy.  But  he  himself  an- 
swers ;  if  a  schismatic  be  tolerated,  and  by  the  com- 
mon error  of  the  people  be  taken  for  lawful,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  all  his  acts  of  jurisdiction  are  valid  ;  which 
we  shall  affirm  also  of  heretics.  But  if  a  presbyter  or 
bishop  be  a  manifest  schismatic,  then  some  say,  that 
those  acts  that  require  jurisdiction  are  invalid,  but  oth- 
ers say,  that  they  are  all  valid  in  case  the  schismatic  be 
not  by  name  excommunicated,  or  a  manifest  striker  of 
the  clergy."  It  is  their  own  canons,  that  the  Papists 
here  plead  when  the  council  of  Constance  hath  so 
altered  the  business. 

2.  Though  this  that  is  said  is  enough  as  to  the  Pa- 
pists, yet  I  add,  that  their  sucoession  is  interrupted,  and 
therefore  they  are  the  most  unfit  to  be  our  judges. 
They  have  had  long  schisms,  in  which  no  man  knew 
who  was  the  right  pope,  nor  knoweth  to  this  day;  and 
such  long  removes  and  vacancies,  and  such  interpositions 


JUGGLING.  205 

of  various  ways  of  choosing  their  pope,  and  interrup- 
tions by  heretical  popes,  condemned  by  general  coun- 
cils ;  besides  murderers,  adulterers,  simonists,  and  such 
as  their  own  writers,  Genebrard,  and  others  expressly 
say,  were  not  apostolical,  but  apostatical ;  and  popes 
who  by  general  councils  have  been  judged  or  charged 
with  heresy  and  infidelity,  that  there  is  nothing  more 
certain  than  that  their  succession  hath  been  interrupted. 

3.  They  cannot  be  certain  but  it  is  in  every  age  inter- 
rupted, and  that  there  is  no  true  pope  or  bishops  among 
them,  because  the  intention  of  the  ordainer  or  conse- 
crator  i«  with  them  of  necessity  to  the  thing:  and  no 
man  can  be  certain  of  the  intention  of  the  ordainers. 
Yet  Bellarmin  says,  that  though  we  cannot  be  sure 
that  he  is  a  true  pope,  bishop  or  prebyter  that  is  ordain- 
ed, yet  we  are  bound  to  obey  him.  Where  then  is  the 
certainty  of  succession  ?  Bellarmin  Justificat.  Cap. 
8.  sec.  5. 

4.  What  succession  of  episcopal  consecration  was 
there  in  the  church  of  Alexandria,  when  Jerom  Epist. 
ad  Evagrium,  tells  us  :  "At  Alexandria,  from  Mark  the 
evangelist  even  till  Heraclius  and  Dionysius  their  bish- 
ops, the  presbyters  did  always  name  one  man  that  bish- 
op, whom  they  chose  from  among  themselves,  and 
placed  in  a  higher  degree  :  even  as  if  an  army  make 
an  emperor,  or  the  deacons  choose  one  of  themselves, 
whom  they  know  to  be  industrious  and  eall  him  the 
chief  deacon."  Thus  Jerome  shews  that  bishops  were 
then  made  by  presbyters.  In  the  same  epistle  he 
proves  from  Scripture,  that  presbyters  and  bishops  were 
one.  Medina  accusing  Jerom  of  error,  saith  that  Am- 
brose, Austin,  Sedulius,  Primasius,  Chrysostom,  Theo- 
doret,  Oecumenius,  and  Theophylact  were  in  the  same 
heresy,  as  Bellarmin  himself  reporteth  him.  So  that  pres- 
byters now  may  make  bishops  as  those  of  Alexandria 
did.  Jerom  there  saith,  "all  are  the  successors  of  the 
apostles,"  yet  apostles  as  apostles  have  no  successors 
at  all,  as  Bellarmin  teacheth,  lib.  4.  de  Ponlif.  cap.  25. 
"Bishops  do  not  properly  succeed  the  apostles ;  because 
the  apostles  were  not  ordinary,  but  extraordinary,  and 
as  it  vv«re  delegated  pastors,  who  have  no  successors. 
Bishops  h  ive  no  part  of  the  true  apostolic  authority. 

18 


206  JESUIT 

Apostles  could  preach  in  the  whole  world,  and  found 
churches,  but  so  cannot  bishops.  The  apostles  could 
write  canonical  books,  but  so  cannot  bishops.  Apos- 
tles had  the  gifts  of  the  tongue  and  miracles,  but  so 
have  not  bishops.  The  apostles  had  jurisdiction  over 
the  whole  church,  but  so  have  not  bishops.  And  there 
is  no  succession  but  to  a  predecessor  :  but  apostles  and 
bishops  were  in  the  church  both  at  once,  as  appeareth 
by  Timothy,  Titus,  Evodius,  and  many  more.  If  there- 
fore bishops  succeed  apostles,  to  what  apostle  did  Titus 
succeed/*  and  whom  did  Timothy  succeed"?  Bishops 
succeed  apostles  in  the  same  manner  as  presbyters 
succeed  the  seventy-two  disciples :  but  it  is  manifest 
that  presbyters  do  not  properly  succeed  the  seventy-two 
disciples,  but  only  by  similitude,  i^hilip,  Stephen  and 
others  that  were  of  the  seventy-two,  had  never  been 
after  ordained  deacons,  if  they  had  been  presbyters  be- 
fore." 

Now  what  is  become  of  the  Popish  apostolical  suc- 
cessors among  their  bishops?  The  scope  of  all  this 
is  to  prove,  that  all  prelates  receive  their  power  from 
the  pope;  and  so  their  succession  is  confined  to  him 
alone :  and  therefore  as  oft  ViS  there  have  been  inter- 
ruptions in  the  Papal  succession,  so  often  the  succession 
of  all  their  church  was  interrupted. 

But  if  bishops  succeed  not  apostlts,  and  have  not 
any  of  the  apostolic  power,  who  then  doth  the  bishop  of 
Rome  succeed?  Bcllarmin,  cap.  25,  saith;  "The  pope 
of  Rome  properly  succeedeth  Peter,  not  as  an  apostle, 
but  as  an  ordinary  pastor  of  the  whole  church."  Let 
us  then  have  no  more  talk  of  the  apostolic  seat,  or  at 
least  no  more  arguing  from  that  name  :  for  Peter  was 
not  the  universal  vicar  as  an  apostle,  nor  doth  the 
people  so  succeed  him.  Doth  not  that  give  away  the 
vicarship  .-'  which  way  will  they  prove  it  ? 

But  an  objection  falls  in  Bellarmin's  way;  "if  this 
be  so,  then  none  of  the  bishops  of  Afric,  Asia,  &c.  were 
true  bishops,  that  were  not  made  by  the  pope."  To 
which  he  answers,  that  "  it  is  enough  that  the  pope  do 
consecrate  them  mediately,  by  making  patriarchs  and 
archbishops  to  do  it ;  and  so  Peter  did  constitute  the 
patriarchs  of  Alexandria  and  Antioch :  who  thus  re- 


JUGGLING.  207 

ceiving  authority  from  the  pope,  did  rule,  almost  all 
Asia  and  Afric."  Hut  that  almost  marreth  the  whole 
cause:  for  where  is  the  universal  headship  i'  did  Bel- 
larmiii  think  that  Alexandria  and  Antioch  were  made 
at  first  the  seats  of  patriarclis,  having-  a  large  jurisdic- 
tion as  afterward  they  attained  i*  How  will  he  prove 
that  Peter  made  those  two  patriarchates,  not  as  an 
apostle,  but  as  an  ordinary  vicar  general  1  Who 
made  the  patriarchate  of  Constantinople,  and  gave  it 
that  vast  jurisdiction  i*  did  Peter  many  hundred  years 
after  his  death  ?  or  did  the  Pope  of  Rome,  that  resisted 
and  sought  to  diminish  his  power?  or  rather  did  not 
the  general  councils  do  it  by  the  emperor's  commands, 
the  pope  excepting  and  repining  at  it  i'  who  made  the 
patriarch  of  Jerusalem  i*  who  made  James  bishop  of 
Jerusalem  ?  Did  Petsri*  who  made  Timothy  and  Ti- 
tus bishops  ?  did  Peter  or  Paul  ?  Who  gave  Paul  that 
powev?  not  Peter  certainly.  Do  not  those  men  jest 
with  holy  things?  or  do  they  believe  themselves  ?  Bel- 
larmin  confesseth,  that  the  potestas  Ordinis,  et  interi* 
oris  jurisdictionis,  power  of  order  and  interior  jurisdic- 
tion, is  immediately  from  God  to  ewQxy  bishop  as  to 
the  pope,  cap.  22.  Why  then  should  it  be  denied  of 
the  exterior  jurisdiction  ?  Is  one  part  of  the  essence  of 
the  office  given  by  the  pope,  and  the  rest  without  him/ 
What  if  it  be  proved,  that  the  exterior  and  the  interior 
jurisdiction  of  a  pastor  are  one  ?  though  the  obedience  be 
exterior,  yet  the  jurisdiction  is  exercised  on  the  soul 
in  one  case  as  well  as  another  ;  it  being  the  mind 
on  which  the  obligation  lieth,  and  the  pastoral  rule  is 
powerful  and  efl^ectual,  aud  further  than  you  procure 
consent  you  are  despised.  For  it  is  the  magistrate's 
work  to  use  violence.  Bishops  as  bishops,  can  but 
persuade  and  deal  by  words  with  the  inner  man.  What 
then  is  become  of  the  Papist  succession  ? 

5.  He  that  is  ordained  according  to  the  apostles' 
directions,  or  prescript  in  Scripture,  hath  the  true  apos- 
tolical ordination  ;  but  so  are  we  ordained.  The  apos- 
tles never  confined  ordination  to  those  prelates  that  de- 
pend on  the  pope  of  Rome.  The  bishops  to  whom  the 
apostles  committed  that  power,  are  the  same  who  are 
called  presbyters  by  them,  and  they  were  the  overseers 


208  JESUIT 

or  pastors  each  but  of  one  single  church  and  not  of 
many  churches,  in  Scripture  times,  so  Hammond  as- 
serts'. Such  are  those  who  ordain  among  us  now. 
Grcgor.  Nazianzen.  oral.  18,  saith,  "I  would  there  was 
no  presidency,  nor  prerogative  of  place  and  tyrannical 
privileges  ;  that  so  we  might  be  known  only  by  virtue. 
But  now  this  right  side,  and  left  side,  and  middle  and 
lower  degree,  and  presidency,  and  concomitancy,  have 
begot  us  many  contritions  to  no  purpose,  and  have  driv- 
en many  into  the  ditch,  and  have  led  them  away  to  the 
region  of  the  goats." 

Isidore  Pelusiat.  lib.  3.  Epist.  223.  ad  Hierace??i, 
saith:  "When  I  have  shewed,  what  difference  there  is 
between  the  ancient  ministry  and  the  present  tyranny, 
why  do  you  not  crown  and  praise  the  lovers  of  equality.''"' 

Refer  to  Sedulius  on  Titus  1.  Ansclm  Enarrat.  in 
Phil.i.  1.  Beda  on  Ads  20.  Alcuin  Divinis  Officiis  ; 
Cap.  35,  36.  ayid  John  Lib.  5.  ;  and  Epist.  108.  Anselm 
on  I  Timothy  \\.  14.  histitut.in  Concil  Colo?i.  de  Sacr. 
Ordin.  Bucer  Script.  Anglic.  Peter  Martyr,  Loc. 
Com.  Clas.  4.  Loc.  1.  sect.  23;  a7id  Wiclifs  argu- 
ments on  the  Waldenses.  Cassander  Consult,  artic. 
14,  saith;  It  is  agreed  among  all,  that  of  old  in  the 
apostle's  days,  there  was  no  difference  between  bishops 
and  presbyters,  but  afterwards  for  order's  sake  and  the 
avoiding  of  schism,  the  bishop  was  set  before  the  pres- 
byters." Occam  determineth,  that  "by  Christ's  insti- 
tution all  the  priests  of  what  degree  soever  are  of  equal 
authority,  power  and  jurisdiction."  Reynold  Peacock, 
wrote  a  book  de  ministrorum  ciqualitate,  which  your 
party  caused  to  be  burnt.  Richard  Armachan,  lib.  9. 
cap  5,  ad  Quceest.  Armen.  saith,  "there  is  not  found  in 
the  evangelical  or  apostolical  Scriptures  any  difference 
between  bishops  and  simple  priests,  called  presbyters; 
whence  it  tollows,  that  there  is  one  power  in  all,  and 
equal  from  their  order."  Cap.  7,  answering  the  ques- 
tion, whether  any  priest  may  consecrate  churches,  &c. 
he  saith,  "priests  may  do  it  as  well  as  bishops,  seeing 
a  bishop  hath  no  more  in  such  matters  than  any  sim- 
ple priest.  It  seems  therefore  that  the  restriction  of 
the  priest's  power  was  not  in  the  primitive  church  ac- 
cording to  the  Scripture." 


JVGOLINO.  209 

G.  The  chief  error  of  the  Papists  in  this  cause  is  ex- 
pressed in  their  reason,  "no  man  can  give  the  power 
that  he  hath  not :"  wherein  they  intimate,  that  it  is 
man  that  giveth  the  ministerial  power.  Whereas  it  is 
the  gift  of  Christ  alone.  Man  doth  but  design  the 
person  that  shall  receive  it,  and  then  Christ  giveth  it, 
by  his  law,  to  the  person  so  designed  :  and  then  man 
dotli  invest  him,  and  solemnize  his  introduction.  Asa 
woman  may  choose  her  husband,  but  it  is  not  she  that 
giveth  him  the  power  over  her,  but  God  who  deter- 
mineth  of  that  power  by  his  law  :  affixing  it  to  the  per- 
son chosen  by  her,  and  her  action  is  but  a  condition, 
or  cause  of  that  capacity  of  the  matter  to  receive  the 
form.  xMcn  do  but  obey  God  in  a  right  choice  and  des- 
ignation of  the  person  :  his  law  doth  presently  give 
him  the  power,  with  which  for  order's  sake  he  must  be 
in  solemn  manner  invested.  But  matters  of  order  may 
^possibly  vary;  and  though  they  are  to  be  observed  as 
far  as  may  be,  yet  they  always  give  place  to  the  ends 
and  substance  of  the  work  for  ordering  whereof  they 
are  appointed. 

7.  Temporal  power  is  truly  and  necessarily  of  God, 
as  ecclesiastical,  and  it  was  at  first  given  immediately 
by  him,  and  he  chose  the  person  :  and  yet  there  is  no 
necessity  that  kings  must  prove  an  uninterrupted  succes- 
sion. God  useth  means  now  in  designing  the  persons 
that  shall  be  governors  of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  But 
not  always  the  same  means.  Nor  hath  he  tied  himself 
to  a  succesive  anointing  or  election:  else  few  kings  on 
earth  would  hold  their  sceptres.  And  no  man  from 
any  diversity  in  the  cases  is  able  to  prove,  that  a  man 
may  not  as  truly  be  a  lawful  church-governor,  as  a  law- 
ful governor  of  the  commonwealth,  without  an  uninter- 
rupted succession  of  ministerial  collation. 

Bellarmin  is  forced  to  maintain,  that  with  them  it  is 
enough  that  a  pastor  have  the  place,  and  seem  lawful 
to  the  people,  and  that  they  are  bound  to  obey  him, 
though  it  should  prove  otherwise. 

Our  ordination  therefore  being  according  to  the  law 
of  Christ,  and  the  pope's  so  contrary  to  it:  we  are 
ready  at  any  time,  more  fully  to  compare  them,  and 
demonstrate  to  any  impartial  man,    that  Christ  doth 

IS* 


210  JESUIT 

much  more  disown  their  ordination  than  ours ;  and 
that  we  enter  in  God's  appointed  way.  Mr.  Elliot  in 
New  England  may  better  ordain  a  pastor  over  the  In- 
dians converted  by  him,  than  leave  them  without  or 
send  to  Roiae,  for  a  bishop  or  for  orders.  Voetius  de 
desperata  causa  papatus.  JVlason  upon  English  ordi- 
nation. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

Popish  Sa..ctUy. 

Another  of  their  deceits  is  this  :  ihcy  pretend  the 
holiness  of  their  churches  and  ministry,  and  the  unho- 
liness  of  ours.  This  being  matter  of  fact,  a  willing 
and  impartial  mind  may  the  easier  be  satisfied.  They 
assert  their  holiness,  by  the  canonized  saints  among 
them:  by  the  devotion  of  their  religious  orders,  and 
their  strictness  of  living:  by  their  unmarried  clergy  : 
and  by  their  sanctifying  sacraments  and  ceremonies. 
In  all  which  they  say  that  we  are  so  far  wanting,  that 
being  out  of  the  church,  there  is  no  true  holiness  among 
us. 

I  had  never  the  happiness  to  be  acquainted  with  any 
Papist  of  a  serious  spiritual  temper,  and  holy  life,  but 
only  some  of  a  ceremonious  formal  kind  of  religion, 
and  but  with  very  few  that  lived  not  in  gross  sin.  Pa- 
pists make  it  an  article  of  their  faith,  and  an  essential 
point  of  Popery,  that  no  one  Protestant  hath  charity,  or 
can  be  saved ;  and  that  no  Christian  in  the  world  is 
sanctified  really,  and  can  be  saved  but  a  Papist.  They 
necessitate  us  to  mention  their  ungodliness  by  so  cal- 
ling us  to  it,  and  laying  the  stress  of  all  our  cause  upon 
the  point :  and  laying  the  very  christian  faith  iiself 
upon  the  holiness  of  their  church.  For  we  must  not 
know  that  Scripture  is  God's  word,  or  that  Christianity 
is  the  true  religion,  till  we  first  know  that  the  church 
of  Rome  is  the  true  church,  that  we  may  receive  it  on 
their  credit :  and  we  must  know  that  they  are  the  true 
church  by  being  the  only  holy  people  in  the  world.    If 


JUGCLINC.  _  211 

my  faltli  lay  on  tliis  foundation,  1  know  so  much  of  tiiu 
falsehood  of  it,  that  I  must  tnrn  infidel  :  and  1  can  no 
more  believe  this  than  1  can  believe  that  snow  is  not 
white. 

They  confess  tliat  tiieir  common  people  are  bad;  hut 
yet  they  say,  "there  arc  same  good  ones  among  us,  but 
among  the  heretics  not  one  is  good."  Thomas  a  Jcsu 
dc  convcrs.  omu.  Gent.  iJ.  531.  Tuhcrville  Manual 
p.  84.  saith,  but  "I  never  yet  heard  of  any  Protestant 
saints  in  the  world."  O  wonderful  perversness  of  the 
hearts  of  sectaries!  O  wonderful  patience  of  God  !  Did 
not  that  man's  heart  tremble  or  smite  him  to  write  so 
iiorrid,  so  impudent  a  reproach  against  so  many  precious 
saints  of  God  ?  Durst  he  thus  attempt  to  rob  the  Lord 
of  tlie  fruit  of  his  blood?  and  to  villify  his  jewels?  and 
as  Rabshakeh,  to  reproach  the  Israel  of  God  .''  to  at- 
tempt to  pluck  them  out  of  Christ's  hand  that  arc  given 
him  by  his  Father  ;  and  to  shut  them  out  of  heaven,  tliat 
are  redeemed  and  made  heirs  by  so  dear  a  price  ;  and 
to  spit  in  their  faces  whom  Christ  hath  washed  with  liis 
blood  ?  did  he  not  fear  that  dreadful  threatening  of 
Christ,  Mat.  18.  6,  "But  -who  shall  offend  one  of  these 
little  ones  that  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that 
a  millstone  were  hansed  about  his  neck,  and  that  he 
were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea."  Though  I  see 
so  much  impiety  among  tlie  Papists,  I  dare  not  say,  I 
dare  not  think,  that  God  hath  not  some  holy  one  among 
tiiem.  It  is  dangerous  to  condemn  those  that  Chsist 
will  justify,  and  make  his  members  to  be  the  members 
of  the  devil,  and  abusing  so  grossly  the  apple  of  his  eye. 
If  I  see  a  man  live  wickedly,  I  dare  say  he  is  of  a  wick- 
ed life;  but  1  dare  not  say  that  all  are  so,  unless  it  be 
among  men,  whose  principles  I  am  sure  are  inconsistent 
with  godliness,  and  I  know  that  they  hold  those  princi- 
ples practically  or  prevalently.  I  have  been  acquainted 
with  some  Papists,  learned  and  nnlearned.  Few  of  the 
unlearned  know  what  Christianity  is,  nor  whether 
Christ  were  God  or  man,  male  or  female,  nor  whether 
ever  he  was  the  king,  prophet  or  priest  of  the  church, 
nor  for  what  end  he  died,  nor  what  faith  or  repentance  is  ; 
but  were  infidels  under  the  name  of  Papists  or  catholics. 
Nearly    all    the    learned  at 4  unJearned    live    in    gross 


212  JESUIT 

sin,  the  better  sort  would  ordinarily  swear  by  their 
lady,  and  by  the  mass,  and  some  greater  oaths.  The 
rest  were  fornicators  or  adulterers,  drunkards  or 
revellers  and  gamesters.  Never  had  I  the  happiness  to 
be  acquainted  with  one  that  could  speak  experimentally 
of  tlic  work  of  grace  upon  his  soul,  of  the  life  of  faith, 
of  communion  with  God,  and  of  the  life  to  come.  Their 
religion  lay  in  being  the  Pope's  subjects,  and  in  fasting 
on  Fridays  and  in  Lent  from  some  sorts  of  meat, and  in 
saying  over  so  many  Ave  Maries,  Pater  Nosters,  or  the 
like;   and  in  observing  days,  and  hours,  and  ceremonies. 

But  if  those  men  that  never  heard  of  a  Protestant 
saint,  and  conclude  there  is  no  one  saved  but  a  Papist ; 
and  build  their  salvation  on  this  as  an  article  of  their 
faith,  had  known  but  those  that  I  have  known,  and  yet 
know ;  they  would  either  have  been  of  another  mind,  or 
have  been  left  inexcusable  in  a  malicious  reproaching  of 
the  saints  of  the  most  high.  I  bless  the  Lord  that  I  can 
truly  say,  that  I  know  many,  as  far  as  the  heart  of  another 
can  be  known,  by  words  and  a  holy  life,  who  live  in 
much  communion  with  God:  whose  souls  are  daily  long- 
ing after  him,  and  some  of  them  spending  much  of  their 
lives  upon  their  knees,  having  had  many  a  special  ex- 
traordinary return  to  their  importunate  requests  :  whose 
delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  in  which  they  meditate 
day  and  night,  which  is  locked  up  among  the  Papists  : 
whose  hearts  smite  them  for  vain  words  or  thouglits,  or 
the  loss  of  time  :  that  live  in  examplary  humility,  meek- 
ness and  selfdenial,  bearing  wrongs  patiently,  and  doing 
good  to  as  many  as  they  can,  as  the  servants  of  all,  con- 
temning the  riches  and  honors  of  the  world,  mortifying 
the  flesh,  and  some  of  them  longing  to  be  dissolved  and 
to  be  with  Ciuist  :  in  whom  the  world  never  knew  either 
once  drunkenness,  fornication,  or  one  rash  oath,  or  any 
other  gross  sin.  And  is  it  certain  that  all  those  shall  be 
damned,  because  they  believe  not  in  the  pope?  or  is  it 
not  certain  by  promise  that  all  such  shall  be  saved? 

When  Papists  lay  their  faith  and  cause  on  this,  that 
their  church  is  holy,  and  ours  and  all  others  are  every 
man  unholy,  it  is  almost  to  me  as  if  they  said  that  no 
men  but  Papists  have  souls  in  their  bodies,  and  laid  their 
faitli  on  this ;  and  as  soon  should  I  believe  them,  if  this 


JUGGLING.  213 

W(!re  their  belief.  It  is  a  jrood  preservative  against  po- 
perv,  when  a  man  c-innot  turn  Papist  without  puttint^ 
out  his  eves,  and  renouncing  his  wit,  and  reason,  and 
common  experience,  as  well  as  his  charity  ;  and  without 
denying  what  he  knoweth  by  his  own  soul ! 

1.  But  let  us  come  to  their  evidences.  They  say,  we 
have  no  canonized  saints.  I  answer  all  the  apostles  and 
saints  of  the  first  ages  were  of  our  religion  ;  and  many 
of  them  have  been  beholden  to  the  pope  for  canonizing 
them. 

We  have  no  usurper  among  us  that  pretendeth  infal- 
libly to  know  the  hearts  of  others,  nor  to  number  God's 
saints.  But  with  us  the  Holy  Ghost  maketh  saints,  and 
their  lives  declare  it ;  and  those  that  converse  with  them 
discern  it,  so  far  as  to  be  highly  confident  ;  and  men 
discern  it  themselves,  so  far  as  to  be  infallibly,  though 
not  perfectly,  certain. 

The  pope  takes  saints  to  be  rare  with  them,  that  they 
musi  be  named  and  written  with  red  letters  in  an  alma- 
nack. TuherviUe  Manual  p.  85,  sends  us  for  proof  to 
their  chronicles  and  martyrologies,  and  he  nameth  four 
saints  that  they  have  had,  Austin  the  Monk,  Benedict, 
Dominick,  and  Francis,  Now  we  all  know  that  none 
but  saints  are  saved,  and  without  holiness  none  can  see 
God;  Heb.  12.  14.  So  that  it  seems  if  sanctity  be  so 
rare  among  the  Papists,  salvation  must  be  rare. 

But  as  for  us,  we  make  it  our  care  to  admit  none  but 
saints  to  our  church  communion,  though  we  preach  to 
others  to  prepare  them  for  it :  for  we  believe  that  the 
church  is  a  holy  society,  and  find  Paul  calling  the  whole 
churches  that  he  writes  to  by  the  title  of  saints,  and  we  be- 
lieve it  is  the  communion  of  saints  that  is  there  to  be 
held.  And  if  we  had  no  more  saints  in  one  county  at 
once,  yea  in  one  parish  at  once,  than  would  fill  up  the 
pope's  calander,  so  as  to  have  one  for  every  day  in  the 
year,  we  should  betake  ourselves  to  bitter  lamentation. 
Whereas  the  church  of  Rome  takes  in  all  sorts  of  the 
unclean,  and  is  so  impure  and  polluted  a  society,  that  it 
is  a  wonder  how  they  should  have  the  face  to  boast  of 
their  holiness,  to  men  who  live  among  them  and  know 
them.  Thousands  of  their  members  are  stark  infidels, 
not  knowing  the  essentials  of  the  Christian   faith.     In 


214  JESUIT 

Ireland  many  of  them  know  not  who  Christ  was,  but 
that  he  was  a  better  man  than  Patrick.  Usher  saw 
and  lamented,  that  they  perished  as  heathens  for  want 
of  knowing  Christianity  itself,  while  they  went  under 
the  name  of  catholics  :  and  therefore  he  would  have  per- 
suaded the  popish  priests  to  have  consented  that  they 
should  be  all  tau:dit  a  catechism  of  the  common  princi- 
pies  that  we  are  agreed  in  ;  but  he  could  not  procure  it. 
White  asked  one  of  them  in  Lancashire,  who  Jesus 
Christ  was  1  she  answered,  that  it  was  some  good 
thing,  or  else  it  would  not  have  been  put  into  the  creed. 
While's  Key  to  the   Church. 

How  much  swearing,  whoredom,  drunkenness,  and 
other  wickedness  are  in  their  church  is  known  not  only 
by  the  complaints  of  their  own  writers,  but  by  the  com- 
mon experience  of  travelers.  We  have  known  Papists 
who  have  turned  from  them  by  the  experience  of  one 
journey  to  Rome,  and  seeing  what  is  there.  As  for 
church  censures  by  which  any  of  those  evils  should  be 
purged  out,  they  are  laid  by,  and  reserved  for  other 
uses  ;  even  as  thunder-bolts  for  the  pope's  adversaries, 
and  the  servants  of  Clirist  whom  they  take  for  heretics, 
and  for  princes  whom  the  pope  would  have  deposed  and 
m.urdered.  The  lives  of  many  kings  and  princes  have 
been  the  sacrifice  of  the  Roman  ungodliness. 

What  need  you  any  further  proof,  that  their  church  is 
a  common  wilderness,  and  not  the  garden  of  Christ,  and 
is  a  cage  of  all  unclean  birds,  than  that  they  actually 
keep  them  all  in  their  communion.  It  made  my  heart 
rise  at  their  hypocrisy  and  filthiness,  to  read  one  sen- 
tence in  one  of  the  most  learned,  and  sober,  and  honest 
of  all  their  prelates  that  have  written.  Albaspinccus 
Observat.  "  If  ever  any  one  man  in  this  age  was  put 
from  the  comnmnion,  which  I  know  not  whether  such  a 
thing  hath  come  to  pass,  it  was  only  from  the  receiving 
the  Eucharist ;  in  the  other  parts  of  his  life,  he  retained 
the  same  familiarity  and  converse  with  other  believers, 
which  he  had  before  his  excommunication."  Thus  a  pre- 
late of  France  knew  not  any  one  person  in  the  age  that 
he  lived  in,  who  was  ever  excommunicated  for  ungodli- 
ness. Let  the  Christian  world  then  observe  by  their 
practice,  what  an  abominable  hypocritical  contest  the^ 


iVGOLlSG.  215 

ni.'ikc,  to  jn-ovc  the  power  of  clmrch-f^overnmcnt  to  he 
only  in  their  pope,  and  the  prelates  to  whom  he  givcth 
it ;  and  when  tlu^y  have  done,  do  make  so  little  use  of 
the  power  which  they  so  pretend  to,  as  not  to  exercisci 
the  censures  of  the  church  upon  any  one  offender.  How 
were  that  man  worthy  to  he  thought  of,  or  used,  that 
would  set  all  the  world  on  fn-e  hy  contending,  that  no 
schoolmaster  or  physician  should  he  suffered  in  the  whole 
world,  hut  liimself  and  such  as  he  giveth  power  to  :  and 
when  he  hath  done,  will  not  hy  himself  or  his  subjects 
and  dependents  teach  or  heal  one  person  in  an  age  ? 
Were  such  an  one  meet  to  live  on  the  earth  ?  Or  should 
we  judge  that  man  in  his  wits  that  would  believe  him  1 
O  what  a  sty  is  the  Roman  society  !  What  corruption 
in  their  assemblies  !  And  yet  thc*^hovel  or  the  besom 
must  not  be  used  once  in  an  age  ?  no  weed  pulled  up  ? 
no  superlluous  branch  cut  off?  Is  this  the  use  of  all  the 
canons  of  their  church  concerning  excommunication. 
Must  the  Christian  world  be  at  such  vast  expense,  to 
maintain  so  rich  and  numerous  a  clergy  for  this  1  JMust 
we  cast  out  our  pastors  to  receive  such  as  these?  When 
we  should  be  ashamed,  if  we  had  not  exercised  more  of 
the  cleansing  power  in  one  church,  than  AlhaspincBus 
knew  among  the  Papists  in  a  whole  age. — Alhaspiu. 
Vet.  Eccl&s.  Ritib.  Observed. 

But  perhaps  you  think  there  is  little  of  this  fdth  among 
them  to  be  cast  out.  He  that  readeth  their  writers,  or 
llveth  among  them,  and  seeth  their  lives,  will  not  so  think. 
He  that  had  seen  the  murders  of  their  popes  for  the  ob- 
taining of  the  popedom,  or  how  Pope  Stephen  raged 
against  the  carcass  of  Pope  Formosus,  drawing  it  out  of 
the  grave,  and  changing  its  j)ontifical  habit  to  a  secular, 
and  cutting  off  his  fingers ;  or  he  that  had  seen  Pope  Chris- 
topher casting  the  corpse  of  Pope  Leo  V.  into  the  river 
Tiber;  or  Pope  Sergius  keeping  the  said  Christopher 
bound  in  prison ;  or  Pope  Boniface  VII.  putting  out  his 
cardinals'  eyes,  would  scarce  believe  that  the  seat  of 
Peter  were  holy :  all  which  Platina  and  others  of  their 
own  writers  notice.  Baronius  himself  tells  us  an.  897. 
"  Pope  Stephen  VII.  defiled  Peter's  seat  with  unheard 
of  sacrilege,  not  to  be  named  ;  and  the  princes  of  Tus- 
cany were  brought  into  Peter's  chair  and  Christ's  throne. 


216  JESUIT 

being  monstrous  men,  of  most  filthy  lives  and  desperate 
manners,  and  every  way  most  filthy.  An.  900.  Ugly 
monsters  were  thrust  into  the  Papacy  ;  so  that  it  was  de- 
filed with  filthiness,  and  followed  by  those  with  a  perpet- 
ual infamy.  An.  912.  At  Rome,  the  most  powerful  and 
the  most  sordid  whores  did  rule;  at  whose  will  the  seats 
were  changed,  prelates  were  made,  and,  which  is  horrid 
to  be  heard,  and  not  to  be  spoken,  their  sweet-hearts, 
false  popes  were  thrust  into  Peter's  seat."  "  For  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  the  Popes  were  wholly  fallen 
from  the  virtue  of  their  predecessors,  being  disorderly, 
and  apostatical,  rather  than  aj)Ostolical,  not  entering  i3y 
the  door, but  by  the  backdoor:"  saith  Genebrard  Chron. 
Lib.  4.  a?i.  901.  He  that  shall  read  those  writers  impar- 
tially, will  scarce  tkink  the  head  of  their  church  hath 
been  holy,  which  is  an  essential  part  of  it ;  nor  that 
their  succession  is  interrupted. 

Read  Nic.  Clemangis.  Alvarus  Pelagius  de  planctu 
EcdesicB,  lib.  2.  art.  2.,  and  many  such  like  ;  and  their 
poets  Mantuan,  Dante,  &c.,  or  Petrarch,  Mirandula, 
&:c.,  and  you  will  think  the  holiness  of  Rome  the  poorest 
proof  in  the  world  of  their  being  the  only  church. 
Jirowne^s  Fasciculus  Rerum  Kxpetend.  et.  Fvgiend. 

Espencceus  and  others  recite  that  distich  : 
"  Vivere  qui  cupitis  sancte,  discedite  Roma : 
Omnia  cum  liceant,  non  licet  esse  bonum.^^ 

"  If  you  desire  to  live  holy,  fly  from  Rome.  All 
things  there  are  lawful,  except  to  be  good."  Baptist 
Mantuan.  Voetii  Causa  desperata  Papatus. 

Platina  saith.  Vita  Marcellini ;  "  Our  vices  are  so  in- 
creased, that  they  have  scarce  left  us  any  place  for  mer- 
cy with  God.  How  great  is  the  covetousnessof  the  priests? 
especially  of  those  that  rule  all !  how  great  lust !  how 
great  ambition  and  pomp  !  how  great  ignorance  of  them- 
selves, and  of  the  Christian  doctrine  !  how  little  religion, 
and  that  rather  counterfeit,  than  true  !  how  corrupt  man- 
ners !  even  such  as  in  the  profanest  secular  men  are  to 
be  detested  !  it  is  not  worth  the  speaking ;  when  they 
sin  so  openly  and  so  publicly,  as  if  they  sought  praise 
by  it." 

Claude  1,  Espencapus  on  Titus,  saith  ;  "  Where  is 
there  under  the  sun  a  greater  liberty,  clamor,  impunity 


JUGGLING.  217 

of  all  evil,  infamy  and  impudence,  than  at  Rome  :  verily 
it  is  such  as  no  man  can  believe  but  he  that  hath  seen  it, 
and   no  man  can  deny  it  that  hath  seen  it."       Tiiis  was 
written    since   the   council  of  Trent.     In  the  council  of 
Trent,  a  Popish  Prelate  Cornelius  Muss,  and  the  won- 
der of  his  age  among  the  Papists,  saith  "  there  is  no 
monstrous  fdthiness,  or  sink  or  plague  of  uncleanness, 
with  which  both  people  and  priest  are  not  defiled.     In 
the  very  sanctuary  of  God,  there  is  no  shame,  no  modes- 
ty, no  ho}>e  or  regard  of  good  living :  but  unbridled  and 
untamed  lust,  singular  audaciousness,  incredible  wicked- 
ness.    Would  they  had  not  fallen  from  religion  to  super- 
stition, from  faith  to  infidelity,  from  Christ  to  antichrist, 
yea  as  men  that  had  no  souls  from  God  to  Epicurus,  or 
Pythagoras,  saying  in  an  impious  heart,  and  an  impudent 
mouth, there  is  no  God.  And  yet  now  of  a  long  time, there 
hath  been  no  pastor  that  would  require,  or  seek  them  again; 
because  they   all  sought  their    own  things,  but  not  one 
the  things  of  Jesus  Christ."  Muss  after  the  council  wrote 
thus  ;  Scrm.  2.  "  The  Roman  name  is  hateful  with  all  na- 
tions ;  and  see,  how  little  esteem  the  church  itself  is  of,  be- 
cause of  the  scandals  that  are  heard,  seen  and  felt.     I 
speak  not  now  of  enemies,  that  call  it  the  whore  of  Ba- 
bylon, hell,  and  the  sink  of  all  errors :  but  I  speak  of 
friends,  that  groan  and  daily  sigh  within  themselves,  say- 
ing, O  holy  city,  how  art  thou  thus  profaned  !  O  glorious 
city  !  that  are  thus  become  vile,  thus  condemned  and  ne- 
glected." Rivet.      White's  Wat/  to  the  true  Church, 

Guicciardin  their  historian  saith ;  "Those  are  called 
good  popes,  whose  goodness  is  not  worse  than  other 
men's  wickedness." 

Claud.  EspenccEus  on  Titus  1.  complains,  that  the 
promises  made  by  the  pope,  of  reformation  at  the  coun- 
cil of  Trent,  were  all  broken,  and  nothing  done  but  de- 
ceit and  shows.  Of  Pope  Sixtus  V.  Bellarmin  gave  his 
judgment,  that  he  thought,  when  he  died  he  went  to  the 
devil,  saying,  "he  that  lives  without  repentance,  and 
dieth  without  repentance,  undoubtedly  goeth  to  hell." 
Bellarmin  also  said,  "as  far  as  I  can  reach,  as  lar  as  I 
have  any  wisdom,  as  far  as  I  understand,  in  plain  terms, 
our  Lord  the  pope  is  gone  to  hell."  Barthol.  JIarisof. 
life  of   Henry   the   great   of    France,   caj).   17.   saith; 

19 


218  JESUIT 

"  When  the  Spaniards  perceived  his  contrivances  to  for- 
sake their  party,  lest  he  should  join  witli  the  enemy,  they 
caused  liim  to  be  stranirled  in  the  night  by  a  Franciscan, 
or  one  in  a  monk's  habit,  and  the  next  day  gave  out  that 
a  domestic  devil  had  strangled  him  ;  and  to  make  good 
the  report  a  book  was  written  of  his  life  and  printed, 
where  all  the  wickedness  of  Pope  Alexander  ^  I.  is 
charged  on  him. "  How  the  popes  are  still  chosen  by 
impious  jugglings  and  combinations,  cardinal  Perron, 
tells  in  his  Legationes  et  Negotiat.  Cardinal  Ossatus 
Epist.  87.  said  concerning  pope  Clement  VIII.  esteem- 
ed one  of  the  very  best  of  them  :  who  persuaded  the 
King  of  France  to  join  with  the  Spaniards  in  the  inva- 
sion of  England ;  and  when  the  cardinal  answered  that 
the  King  of  France  was  under  an  oath  of  peace  with 
the  Queen  of  England  ;  their  best  pope  replied,  "  the 
oath  was  made  to  a  heretic,  but  he  is  bound  by  anoth- 
er oath  to  God  and  the  pope.  Kings  and  oiher  sover- 
eign princes  tolerate  themselves  in  all  things  that  make 
for  their  commodity,  and  it  is  now  come  to  pass  that  it  is 
not  imputed  to  them,  nor  taken  to  be  their  fault."  He 
alleged  the  saying  of  Francisc.  Marice  Duke  of  Urbin, 
"  a  noble  man  or  great  man  that  is  not  the  sovereign,  is 
blamed  and  counted  infamous  of  all  men.  if  he  keep  not 
his  faith  ;  but  supreme  princes  may  make  covenants, 
and  break  them  again  without  any  danger  to  their  credit, 
and  may  Ife,  betray,  and  commit  such  like  practices.'* 
Those  are  the  best  popes,  that  can  forgive  other  men's 
sins  and  pardon  them  the  pains  of  purgatory,  and  can- 
not save  their  own  souls  from  hell !  Can  they  not  gov- 
ern the  universal  church  well,  that  can  no  better  govern 
themselves,  or  that  one  city  where  they  dwell  1  are  not 
those  men  worthy  to  be  consulted  as  infallible  oracles, 
by  those  that  dwell  at  tlie  antipodes,  though  it  cost  them 
their  lives  to  sail  or  travel  to  them  ?  can  he  be  a  Chris- 
tian or  be  saved  that  bclievoth  in  one  of  those  men?  or 
can  any  man  receive  the  Christian  faith  or  Scriptures, 
till  he  first  know  those  wicked  men  to  be  Christ's  infallible 
vicars  1 

How  many  thousands  of  prostitutes  are  licensed  in 
Rome  ;  how  sumptuously  they  live,  and  what  revenues 
the  popes   derive   from  their    fornication  many   Papist 


JUGGLING.  210 

authors  mention.  Some  of  them  defend  it ;  and  even 
the  present  pope  niaintains  it.  However  the  Jesuit 
Mariana,  akiioii<:;h  lie  justified  tiie  murder  of  kin^^s  ;  Re- 
gis ct  Regis  instutiunc,  lib.  1.  cap.  (i  ;  disallows  that 
uncleanness,  Spectaculis,  cap.  16.  Claude  EspciiC(cus, 
Confine  nfia^  lib.  3.  cap.  4.  laments  that  "all  Rome  is 
turned  into  one  vast  hrothel."  "The  Jews,  says  that 
Roman  priest,  so  far  shame  you,  that  none  of  their 
daughters  may  hecome  a  harlot,  unless  they  first  turn 
Papists,  and  tiien  they  can  obtain  the  license  to  live  in 
lewdness,"  for  the  stipulated  price. 

Of  the  gain  that  comes  to  the  pope  and  prelates  by 
the  simoniacal  market  of  benefices,  read  Clcmangis 
Tract,  dc  annatibus  non  solvendis.  Alvar.  Pclag.  jjlanC' 
ill  Eccles.  lib.  2.  art.  15;  and  I.  1.  art.  67.  Claude  JEs- 
penc.  Tit.  1.  Cardinal  Cusanus  Concord,  cathnl.  lib. 
2.  cap.  40.  JIarc.  Ant.  Rcpub.  Eccles.  lib.  9.  c.  9.  Bu- 
doeus  lib.  5.  dc  Asse  ;  Duarenus  Sacris  Eccles.  3Iinist, 
lib.  5.  c.  8. 

The  odious  sin  of  sodomy  was  common  with  many 
of  the  clergy  and  popes  themselves;  gluttony,  drunken- 
ness and  whoredom  being  the  common  smaller  sins. 

Papirius  INIassonius  who  wrote  the  deeds  of  the  popes 
for  their  honor  and  sought  his  reward  from  Sixtus  V. 
saith  ;  Episcop.  urb.  lib.  6.  "  No  man  doth  now  look 
for  holiness  in  popes:  those  are  judged  the  best,  that 
are  a  little  good  or  less  wicked  than  other  mortals  used 
to  be." 

Pius  II.  was  one  of  the  best  that  the  Papal  seat  a  long 
time  had  ;  and  yet  in  liis  ej)istle  to  his  father  ;  Epist. 
15.  who  was  angry  with  him  for  fornication,  he 
saith ;  "  you  say  you  are  sorry  for  my  crime. 
I  know  not  what  opinion  you  have  of  me.  You 
know  what  you  were  yourself.  Nor  am  I  an  hypocrite, 
that  I  should  desire  rather  to  seem  good,  than  to  be 
good.  It  is  an  ancient  and  usual  sin*  I  know  not  who 
is  without  it.  This  plague  is  spread  far  and  near ; 
though  I  see  it  not,  seeing  nature,  which  doth  nothing 
amiss,  hath  bred  this  appetite  in  all  living  creatures,  that 
mankind  should  be  continued. "  He  who  was  the  glory 
of  the  Papacy,  knew  none  of  all  the  Hierarchy  without 
beasily  sin. 

Orichovius   informs  Pope  Julius  III.  that  Pope  Paul 


220  JESUIT 

II.  his  predecessor  had  a  daughter  in  the  eyes  of  all 
men. 

Of  Pope  Julius  III.  Onuphrius  saith,  "being  a  car- 
dinal ho  followed  voluptuousness  as  by  stealth,  but  being 
made  popOj  and  having  what  he  would  have,  he  cast 
away  all  care,  and  gave  up  himself  to  his  mirth  and 
disposition. "  Thuanus  also  declares ;  Hist.  lib.  6,  *'  he 
was  very  infamous  as  a  cardinal,  but  afterwards  past 
his  life  in  greater  infamy." 

Alvarus  Pelagius,  lib.  2.  art.  73.  lamenting  whore- 
dom as  a  common  sin,  but  specially  of  the  clergy,  tells 
us  that  the  cause  is,  "because  the  religious  of  that  age 
were  gluttons  or  bell^'^-gods,  arrogant,  proud,  incompar- 
ably beyond  secular  men,  conversing  with  women,  &c. 
And  drink  more  wine  in  their  religious  state  than  before, 
and  are  commonly  carnal.  That  the  monks  had  their 
female  devotees,  with  whom,  by  the  prelate's  license, 
they  conversed.  Being  sent  to  preach  they  go  to  lewd- 
ness. That  there  was  scarcely  any  of  the  nuns  with- 
out her  carnal  male  votary,  by  which  they  broke  their 
faith  with  Christ."     That  was  the  holy  Papacy. 

In  book  2.  art.  28,  he  says,  "  Most  of  the  clergy  mix 
themselves  with  gluttony,  drunkenness  and  whoredom, 
which  is  their  common  vice,  and  most  of  them  give 
themselves  to  tlie  unnatural  vice.  Thus  continually, 
yea  and  jjublicly,  do  they  offend  against  that  chastity 
which  they  promised  to  the  Lord :  besides  those  evils 
not  to  be  named  which  in  secret  they  commit,  which 
papers  will  not  receive,  nor  pen  can  write."  Abundance 
more  he  hath  of  the  same  subject,  and  their  putting  their 
choicest  youth  into  houses  of  sodomy.  That  book  of 
Alvarus  Pelagius,  Bellarmin  calls  Liber  insignis  ;  de 
Scriptor.  JEcclesiast. 

Matth.  Paris,  p.  819,  tells  us  of  cardinal  Hugo*s 
farewell  speech  to  the  people  of  Lyons  when  he  departed 
with  the  pope's  court;  "Friends,  said  he,  since  we  came 
to  this  city  we  have  brought  you  great  commodity  and 
alms.  When  we  came  hither  we  found  three  or  four 
brothels,  but  now  at  our  departure  we  leave  but  one, 
but  that  one  reacheth  from  the  east  gate  to  the  west 
g«te."     O  holy  pope  !  and  holy  church  ! 

Costerus  the  Jesuit  easily  answers  all  that  is  said,  £»* 


JUGGLING.  5t2l 

chirid.  cap.  2.  dc  JBccles.  "The  cliurch  losotli  not  the 
name  Holy,  as  long  as  there  is  but  one  wlio  is  truly  iioly.'* 
Is  tliis  your  sanctity?  If  the  head  be  unlioly,  an  essen- 
tial part  is  unholy;  and  therefore  the  church  cannot  be 
lioly.  One  person  is  not  the  matter  of  the  church,  as  one 
drop  of  wine  cast  into  the  sea  doth  not  make  it  a  sea  of 
wine  ;  one  Italian  in  England  makes  not  England  Ital- 
ian ;  nor  docs  one  learned  man  make  England  learned. 
Let  the  Pai)ists  observe,  that  it  is  from  the  very 
words  of  their  own  authors,  that  I  have  spoken  of  them 
what  is  here  recited,  and  not  from  their  adversaries. 
And  therefore  I  am  so  far  from  believing-  the  Gospel 
upon  the  account  that  their  church  is  holy  that  recom- 
mendcth  it,  or  from  believing  them  to  be  the  only 
church  of  Christ  because  of  their  holiness,  that  I  must 
bless  God  that  I  live  in  a  sweeter  air  and  cleaner  society, 
and  should  be  loth  to  come  out  of  the  garden  to  go  into 
their  sink  to  be  made  clean  or  sweet.  The  traveller 
learned  more  wit,  who  left  us  his  resolution ; — 

"Rom.  a  vale;  vidi ;  sati^  est  vidisse  ;  revarta? 
Cum  Icno  aut  ?nc/'etriz,   sciirra,  cinoidus  ero.'*'^ 

*'Rome!  Farewell;  enough!  Ihave  seen  thee.  1  will 
return  to  thee  when  I  am  a  villain  and  a  beast  !  " 

2.  The  second  proof  which  they  bring  of  the  holiness 
of  their  church,  is,  the  strict  life  of  their  friars,  as 
Carthusians,  Franciscans,  and  others.  Travellers  tell 
lamentable  stories  of  friars  ;  and  Guil.  de  Amore,  and 
his  companions  have  said  much  more,  and  many  other 
Popish  writers  paint  them  in  an  odious  garb. 

This  also  shows  the  pollution  of  your  church  in 
comparison  to  our  churches,  that  holiness  and  religion 
are  such  rarities  and  next  to  miracles  among  you,  that 
it  must  be  cloistered  up,  or  confined  to  certain  orders 
that  are  properly  called  religious,  as  if  the  people  had 
no  religion  or  holiness.  When  our  care  and  hope  is  to 
make  all  our  parishes  far  more  religious  and  holy  than 
your  monasteries  or  convents. 

3.  Their  third  proof  of  the  holiness  of  the  Papists  is 
derived  from  tiieir  unmarried  priests.  Because  the  es- 
sential parts  of  your  church  nearest  concern  your  cause, 
I  ask — Was  it  not  Pope  John  XI.  who  had  Theodora  for 

19* 


222  JESUIT 

his  mistress?  Was  it  not  Pope  Sergius  III.  who  was  the 
father  of  Pope  John  XII.  by  Marosia?  Did  not  John 
XII.  or  XIII.,  according  to  Luhprand  and  other  Po- 
pish writers  defile  virgins  ;  and  married  women  even  at 
the  doors  of  liis  palace,  and  was  finally  killed  by  a  hus- 
band who  caught  him  in  adultery?  Did  not  a  Papist 
write  the  following  distich  of  Pope  Innocent? 

^^  Octo  Nocens  pueros  genuit  totidemque  puellas, 
Hunc  merito  poi'uit  dicere  Rome  patrem  !  " 

"  That  sinner  had  eight  sons  and  eight  daughters. 
Rightly  did  Rome  call  him  their  Father!'''' 

Whose  son  was  Aloisus,  made  Prince  of  Parma  by 
Pope  Paul  III.  ?  For  your  archbishops,  prelates,  priests 
&c.  I  shall  add  but  the  words  of  Dominicus  Soto  de 
Instit.  et  Jure  qu.  6.  art.  1.  "We  do  not  deny  that  the 
clergy  keep  concubines,  and  are  adulterers.'' 

Paul  directed  Timothy  and  Titus  to  ordain  a  bishop 
that  was  the  husband  of  one  wife,  and  ruled  well  his 
house,  having  his  children  in  subjection.  The  church 
long  held  to  that  doctrine.  Greg.  Nyssen  was  a  married 
bishop.  But  if  you  are  wiser  than  the  S))irit  of  God, 
or  can  change  his  laws,  or  can  prove  the  Holy  Ghost  so  im- 
mutable as  to  give  one  law  by  Paul  and  other  apostles, 
and  another  by  the  pope,  we  will  believe  you  and  for- 
sake the  Scripture,  when  you  can  bewitch  and  charm 
us  to  it. 

We  believe  that  a  single  life  may  be  of  convenience 
to  a  pastor,  when  it  can  be  held ;  but  that  Christ's  rule 
must  be  observed,  "  every  man  cannot  receive  this  say- 
ing, but  he  that  can,  let  him  receive  it;"  but  we  do  not 
teach,  as  the  Jesuits  do,  that  a  man  may  lawfully  go 
into  a  brothel,  though  he  hath  found  by  experience  he 
is  overcome. 

Lest  the  vices  of  your  priests  should  be  laid  open 
and  punished,  you  exempt  them  from  the  secular  power, 
and  will  not  have  a  magistrate  question  them  for  any 
crimes.  It  is  one  of  Pope  Nicholas'  decrees,  Caranza, 
p.  395  ;  "  No  layman  must  judge  a  priest,  nor  examine 
any  thing  of  his  life.  And  no  secular  prince  ought  to 
judge  the  facts  of  any  prelates  or  priests  whatsoever." 
That  is  the  way  to  be  wicked  quietly,  and  sin  without 
noise  and  infamy. 


JUGGLING.  U^Z 

Those  among  us  who  are  known  to  he  unj^odly  and 
scandalous,  are  not  owned  hy  us,  nor  arc  niemhers  of 
our  church,  or  admitted  to  the  Lord's  Supper  in  tiiosc 
congregations  that  exercise  churcli  discipline  ;  hut  thev 
arc  only  as  catechumens,  whom  we  preach  to  and  in- 
struct, if  not  cast  out. 

Your  eighth  general  council  at  Constantino[)le,  Can. 
14.  decreed,  "  ministers  must  not  fall  down  to  princes, 
nor  eat  at  their  tables,  nor  debase  themselves  to  them  ; 
but  emperors  must  take  them  as  equals."  But  we  are 
so  far  from  establishing  pride  and  arrogancy  by  a  law, 
that  tliough  we  hate  servile  flattery  and  man  pleasing, 
yet  we  think  it  our  duty  to  be  the  servants  of  all,  and 
to  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate,  and  much  more  to 
honor  our  superiors  and  God  in  them. 

The  same  council  decreed,  Canon.  21,  *-'■  None  must 
compose  any  accusations  against  the  pope."  No  mar- 
vel then  if  all  popes  go  for  innocents. 

Because  you  charge  our  churches  with  unholiness,  and 
that  with  such  an  height  of  impudence,  as  I  am  certain 
the  devil  himself  doth  not  believe  you,  even  that  there 
is  not  one  good  among  us,  nor  one  that  hath  charity,  nor 
can  be  saved,  unless  by  turning  Papist ;  I  tell  you,  that 
I  doubt  not  but  the  churches  in  England,  are  purer  far 
than  those  were  in  the  days  of  Augustin,  Jerom,  &.c., 
and  that  the  pastors  of  our  churches  are  less  scandalous 
than  they  were  then.  What  if  I  should  compare  many 
of  them  to  Augustin,  Jerom,  and  such  others,  both  in 
doctrine  and  holiness  of  life?  Should  I  do  so,  I  know 
you  would  account  it  arrogance.  But  yet  I  will  pre- 
sume to  make  some  comparison. 

As  for  the  heavenliness  of  their  writings,  let  some  of 
ours  be  compared  with  them,  and  you  will  see  at  least 
that  they  spake  by  the  same  spirit.  For  their  commen- 
taries on  Scripture,  did  we  miss  it  as  oft  as  Ambrose, 
Jerom,  and  many  more,  we  should  bring  ourselves  very 
low  in  the  esteem  of  the  church.  Even  cardinal  Cajetan 
doth  boldly  censure  the  fathers'  commentaries. 

As  to  our  lives,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  opening  any  of 
the  faults  of  his  saints,  nor  shall  I  mention  any,  but  what 
are  confessed  by  themselves,  and  to  boast  of  our  own 
purity  I  take  to  be  a  detestable  thing,  and  contrary  to 


224  JESUIT 

that  sense  of  sin  that  is  in  every  Saint  of  God  :  but  yet  if 
the  Lord's  churches  and  servants  are  slandered  and  re- 
proached, as  they  were  by  the  heathens  of  old,  the  vin- 
dicating them  is  a  duty  which  we  owe  to  Christ,  and  you 
are  the  cause  of  the  inconveniences. 

Those  ministers  that  I  converse  with,  are  partly  mar- 
ried and  partly  unmarried.  The  married  live  soberly, 
in  conjugal  chastity,  as  burning  and  shining  lights  before 
the  people,  in  exemplary  holiness  of  life.  The  unmar- 
ried also  give  up  themselves  to  the  Lord  and  to  his  ser- 
vice. And  for  the  people  of  our  communion,  through 
the  mercy  of  God,  open  sins  are  so  rare,  that  if  one  in  a 
church  be  guilty  once,  we  all  lament  it,  and  bring  them 
to  penitence,  or  disown  them,  and  they  are  the  pity  of  all 
the  congregation. 

Were  the  churches  better  in  the  third,  fourth,  fifth, 
sixth,  or  following  ages  ]  No.  That  is  proved  by  the  sad 
histories  of  the  crimes  of  those  times,  and  by  the  lamen- 
table complaints  of  Basil,  Gregory  Nazianzen,  and 
Gregory  Nyssen,  and  Chrysostom,  Austin,  &c.  What 
complaints  are  made  by  Gildas  of  the  British  Church  ? 
What  a  doleful  description  have  we  of  the  Christian 
pastors  and  people  in  his  days  from  Salvian  de  Guber- 
nat.  1 

I  judge  also  by  the  canons,  and  by  the  fathers'  direc- 
tions concerning  offenders.  Thus  Gregory  saith  of 
drunkards  ;  Quod  cum  venia  siis  ingcnio  sunt  relin- 
quendi,  ne  deteriores  jiant^  si  a  tali  cotisuetudine  evel- 
lantur.  Was  this  the  Roman  sanctity  even  then  ?  Was 
that  Saint  Gregory's  sanctity,  that  drunkards  must  be 
let  alone  with  j)ardon,  lest  if  they  be  forced  from  their 
custom  they  be  made  worse  1  If  such  advice  were  but 
giv'On  by  one  of  us,  it  would  cast  us  out  of  our  ministry. 
We  dare  not  lot  one  drunkard  alone  in  our  church  com- 
munion, where  church  discipline  is  set  up. 

Augustin  saith  ;  "  Drunkenness  is  a  mortal  sin,  if  it 
be  daily  or  usual.  And  that  they  must  be  dealt  with 
gently  and  by  fair  words,  and  not  roughly  and  sharply." 
If  one  of  us  should  make  so  light  of  drunkenness,  what 
should  we  be  thought  1  Aquinas  22.  q.  150.  art.  1.  4  ; 
art.  2.  1. 

Many  canons  determine,  "  Priests  that  will  not  part 


JUGGLING.  225 

witli  tlioir  roiirnbincs,  shall  be  suspended  from  ofTiria- 
tiiii^,  till  they  let  them  go."  Whereas  with  us,  a  man  is 
ejected  who  should  have  a  concubine  but  once. 

Gratian  Distinct.  34,  citeth  c.  17,  of  the  Tolotan  coun- 
cil, saying,  "  He  that  bath  not  a  wife,  but  a  concubine 
in  her  stead,  shall  not  be  put  from  the  communion."  The 
whole  canon  is  thus  ;  *'  If  any  believer  have  a  wife  and 
a  concubine,  let  him  not  communicate.  But  he  that 
hath  no  wife,  and  hath  a  concubine  instead  of  a  wife,  may 
not  be  put  from  the  communion.  Only  let  him  be  con- 
tent with  one  woman,  either  wife  or  concubine,  which  he 
will.  He  that  liveth  otherwise,  let  him  be  cast  off,  till 
he  give  over,  and  return  to  penitence." 

In  an  English  council  at  Berghamsted  an.  697,  the  se- 
venth canon  is  this;  "If  a  priest  leave  bis  adultery,  and 
do  not  naughtily  defer  baptism,  nor  is  given  to  drunken- 
ness, let  him  keep  his  ministry,  and  the  privilege  of  his 
habit."  Spelman.  King  Alured  in  the  preface  to  his 
laws  tells  us  ;  "  except  treason  and  desertion  of  their 
Lords,  the  councils  of  the  clergy  did  lay  but  some  pecu- 
niary mulct  on  other  sins."  Spelman.  Johnson's  Laws 
and  canons. 

All  this  shows  that  the  church  then  was  much  more 
corrupt  than  ours  now  in  England. 

The  best  of  the  fathers  had  such  blots,  that  I  may  well 
make  their  confessions  another  discovery  that  our 
churches  are  as  pure  and  holy  as  theirs.  Augustin, 
whilst  he  leaned  to  the  JManichces.  confesseth  himself 
guilty  of  fornication.  Jerom  that  was  so  vehement  for 
virginity  and  lived  a  monastic  life,  doth  yet  confess  that 
he  was  not  a  virgin.  Bernard,  who  lived  so  contem- 
plative a  life,  in  his  Serm.de  beata  virgine  de  Assumpt. 
confesseth  se  car  ere  virgmitate. 

When  we  tell  the  Papists  of  their  licensing  brothels 
at  Rome,  Bononia,  4fec.,  they  fly  to  the  words  of  Austin 
lib.  de  ordine  ;  "  Take  away  harlots  from  among  men, 
and  you  will  disturb  all  things  with  lusts."  Though  this 
was  written  when  Austin  was  but  a  young  convert,  and 
he  afterwards  changed  his  mind  ;  yet  it  shows  that  our 
times  are  far  from  the  abominations  of  those,  and  our  pas- 
tors are  far  more  strict  than  Austin  was. 

As  for  the  holiness  of  their  church  by  ceremonies,  as 


226  JESUIT 

holy  water,  holy  oil,  relics,  altars  and  a  hundred  such 
things,  it  is  not  worthy  of  notice.  All  things  are  sanc- 
titied  to  us  by  the  word  and  prayer.  We  devote  our- 
selves and  all  that  we  have  to  God,  and  then  to  the  pure 
all  things  are  pure.  We  neglect  no  ordinance  of  God 
that  we  can  know  of  and  enjoy.  He  is  a  spirit,  and 
seekefh  such  as  will  worship  him  in  spirit  and  truth. 
This  is  the  holiness  that  we  look  after.  Bur  for  num- 
bering beads,  and  ylyeJ/arigs,  and  going  on  pilgrimages, 
and  such  inventions  of  arrogant  men,  we  place  no  holi- 
ness in  them  ;  as  knowing  tiiat  God  desireth  not  a  mimi- 
cal or  histrionical  worship  ;  and  that  none  knows  what 
will  please  him  so  well  as  himself. 


CHAPTER     XXVI. 

J^oveUy  of  Popish  Corruptions.  ' 

Another  of  their  deceits  is,  hi/  calling  us  to  tell 
them  ichcn  every  one  of  their  errors  did  first  begin.,  and 
what  pope  did  bring  them  in  ;  or  else  they  tvill  not 
believe  but  they  are  from  the  Apostles. 

1.  It  belongs  to  you  to  prove  the  continuance  of  your 
opinions  or  practices,  more  than  to  us  to  prove  the  be- 
ginning. It  sufficcth  that  we  prove  that  there  was  a 
time  when  your  errors  were  not  in  the  church,  and  that 
we  can  do  from  the  Scriptures  and  the  Fathers.  You 
know  yourselves  of  abundance  of  changes  which  you 
know  not  who  did  first  introduce.  Who  first  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  Supper  in  one  kind  only  1  that  was  not 
from  the  beginning"?  Who  first  laid  by  the  standing  on 
the  Lord's  day,  and  used  kneeling  ?  Can.  20.  Council 
Niccn.  1.  Alvarus  Pelagius  de  planet.  Ilccles.  li.  2.  art, 
2.  saith  ;  "The  church  bewaileth  the  sins  of  the  people, 
but  specially  the  clergy,  as  greater  than  the  sin  of  Sodom. 
For  we  see  that  faith  aud  justice  have  forsaken  the  earth. 
The  Holy  Scri[)ture  and  sacred  canons  are  accounted  as 
fables.  He  is  now  a  man  of  no  knowledge  that  inventeth 
not  novelties."  You  see  that  then  novelties  were  brought 
in^     Vincentius  Lirinensis  complaineth  of,  and  not  only 


JUGGLING.  227 

roniplaiiiotli  of, hut  irivoili  diioction  what  to  do;  "  If  any 
novel  coiitaii^ioii  shall  fiidcavor  to  stain  not  only  a  part 
of  the  church,  hut  the  whole  church  alike."  J  lis  advice 
is  to  appeal  from  novelty  to  antl<|uity,  and  not  to  the 
pope  or  present  church.  "  This  direction  is  hut  for  new 
heresies  at  their  first  rising ;  hefore  they  falsify  the 
rules  of  ancient  faith,  hefore  they  corrupt  ancient  writers, 
or  can  pretend  to  antic[uity,  and  hefore  hy  the  larjre 
spreading  of  the  venom,  they  endeavor  to  corrupt  the 
volumes  of  our  ancestors."  But  dilated  and  inveterate 
heresies  are  not  to  he  set  upon  this  w'ay,  hecause  they 
have  had  a  long  occasion  of  stealing  truth  ;  and  there- 
fore we  must  convince  such  ancient  heresies  and  schisms 
by  the  only  authority  of  the  Scripture  if  there  be  need 
or  avoid  them.     Lirincns.  cap,  4.  «fcc. 

Augustin  ad  Januariuni  said  ;  "  they  load  our  religion 
w^ith  servile  burdens,  which  God  in  mercy  would  have 
to  be  free,  with  a  very  few  and  most  manifest  sacra- 
ments of  celebration  ;  so  that  the  condition  of  the  Jews 
was  more  tolerable,  that  were  subject  to  legal  sacra- 
ments, and  not  to  the  presumptions  of  men."  Gersoii. 
Vita  Spirit,  anima,  led.  2.  par  3,  addeth,  "  If  in  thy 
days  thou  didst  mourn,  O  wise  Augustin,  what  wouldst 
thou  have  said  in  our  time  1  where  according  to  the 
variety  and  motion  of  heads,  there  is  incredible  variety 
and  dissonant  multiplicity  of  such  servile  burdens,  and 
as  thou  callest  them,  of  human  presumptions.  Among 
which  as  so  many  snares  of  souls,  and  entangling  nets, 
there  is  scarce  any  man  that  walks  secure,  and  is  not 
taken,  or  caught." 

In  the  judgment  of  Augustin  and  Gerson,  have  any 
novelties  been  brought  into  the  church?  did  all  your 
presumptions  and  burdens,  and  as  Gerson  calls  them, 
halters  for  souls,  come  from  the  apostles,  or  are  they  your 
own  1  When  all  is  thus  overcome  with  novelty,  do  you 
make  any  question  whether  any  thing  be  new  1 

Bernard  thought  that  human  traditions  were  too  mucii 
befriended,  when  he  thus  describeth  the  assemblies  that 
he  approveth,  Epist.  91 ;  "  Such  a  council  do  I  delight 
in,  in  which  the  traditions  of  men  are  not  obstinately 
defended,  or  superstitiously  observed  :  but  they  do  dili- 
gently and  humbly  inquire,  what  is  the  good  and  well 
pleasing,  and  perfect  will  of  God" 


228  JESUIT 

General  councils  by  error  introduced  novelties,  when 
later  councils  were  fain  to  undo  what  the  former  had 
done:  for  so  doth  Augustin  profess  they  did,  saying,  Z^c 
Bapiis.  cont.  Donat.  lib.  2.  cap.  6,  "  Councils  them- 
selves that  are  gathered  through  several  regions  and 
provinces,  do  without  any  scruple  yield  to  the  authority 
of  more  plenary  councils  that  are  gathered  out  of  the 
whole  Christian  world  ;  and  those  same  plenary  coun- 
cils do  often  yield  or  give  place,  the  former  to  the  later, 
when  by  some  experiment  of  matters,  that  which  was 
shut  is  opened,  and  that  which  lay  hid  is  known." 

What  should  hinder  the  introduction  of  novelty  when 
general  councils  do  so  often  err  ?  If  such  councils  be 
morally  and  interpretatively  the  whole  church,  as  the 
Papists  say,  then  the  whole  church  doth  err  in  the 
reception  of  some  novelty,  before  they  declare  it 
by  their  decrees.  If  you  say  that  general  councils  can- 
not err,  nor  introduce  such  novelties,  Bellarmin  and 
many  give  you  the  lie  :  for  De  concil.  lib.  2.  cap.  11, 
he  saith,  "  it  cannot  be  answered  that  those  councils 
erred  because  they  were  not  lawful ;  for  to  most  of  them 
there  was  nothing  wanting  but  the  pope's  assent.  The 
second  at  Ephesus  was  altogether  like  that  at  Basil:  for 
both  were  called  by  the  pope;  in  both  of  them  the  pope's 
legate  shortly  after  went  away  ;  in  both  of  them  the  pope 
was  excommunicated;  and  yet,  that  the  council  of  Ephe- 
sus erred;  the  adversaries  will  not  den3^  Hence  he  con- 
cludeth  that  "  the  chief  power  ecclesiastical  is  not  in  the 
church,  nor  in  the  council,  the  pope   being  removed." 

What  should  hinder,  when  there  is  but  one  man's  vote 
against  it,  even  the  pope's,  but  that  novelty  and  error 
may  enter  at  any  time,  and  when  that  one  man  is  so 
wicked  and  heretical  as  he  is  ?  General  councils  are 
but  mere  name  and  mockery.  The  packing  of  them  ; 
the  paucity  and  non-universality  of  them  ;  and  the  man- 
agement of  their  affairs  show  it.  They  do  nothing  since 
the  papal  reign,  but  what  the  pope  will,  excepting  the 
condemned  councils.  They  have  no  being  till  he  will, 
nor  make  any  decrees  but  what  he  will,  nor  arc  their 
decrees  of  any  further  power  than  ho  is  pleased  to  give 
them.  So  that  his  will  is  the  sense  of  the  general  coun- 
cil or  universal  church.     Sleidan  and  \  ergerius  of  Trent 


JUGGLING.  229 

tell  US ;  "The  Holy  Ghost  went  to  that  council  in  a 
cloakbag  from  Rome."  Espencccus  Titus  I.  Bellar- 
min  de  coiicU.  lib.  2.  cap.  11,  says;  "We  must  know 
that  the  pope  is  vvout  to  send  legates,  instructed  con- 
cerning- the  judgment  of  the  apostolic  seat,  with  this 
condition,  that  if  the  council  do  consent  to  the  judgment 
of  the  apostolic  seat,  it  shall  be  formed  into  a  decree; 
if  not  the  forming  of  the  decree  shall  be  deferred  till 
the  Pope  of  Rome,  being  advised  with,  shall  return  his 
answer.  In  the  council  of  Basil,  Ses.  2,  it  was  decreed 
by  common  consent,  together  with  the  pope's  legate, 
that  a  council  is  above  the  pope;  which  certainly  is 
now  judged  erroneous."  The  councils  of  Lateran 
and  Florence  decreed  the  contrary.  Pighius  saith, 
Hierarch.  Eccles.  1.  6.  "  The  councils  of  Constance 
and  Basil  went  about,  by  a  new  trick  and  pernicious 
example,  to  destroy  the  ecclesiastical  hierarchy,  and 
instead  of  it  to  bring  in  the  domination  of  a  promiscu- 
ous confused  popular  multitude ;  that  is,  to  raise  again 
Babylon  itself,  subjecting  to  themselvs,  or  to  the  com- 
munity of  the  church,  which  they  falsly  pretend  that 
they  represent,  the  very  head  and  prince  of  the  whole 
church,  and  him  that  is  the  vicar  of  Christ  himself  in 
this  his  kingdom;  and  this  against  order  and  nature, 
against  the  clearest  light  of  Gospel  verity,  against  the 
undoubted  faith  and  judgment  of  the  orthodox  church 
itself" 

Thus  general  councils  with  the  pope's  nuncio  may 
bring  in  novelties  in  faith,  against  the^clearest  light  of  the 
Gospel,  and  the  full  consent  of  antiquity;  and  yet  those 
councils  affirmed  their  opinions  to  be  matters  of  faith, 
and  the  opposite  to  be  heretical  and  damnable,  and  con- 
trary to  all  antiquity.  Hence  novelties  are  matters  of 
faith.  The  French  to  this  day  are  guilty  of  those  nov- 
elties, and  charge  their  adversaries  with  innovation. 

General  councils  themselves  are  but  novelties,  though 
they  are  the  foundation  of  the  faith  of  one  half  of  the 
Papists,  as  the  pope  is  of  the  other  ?  Pighius  Hie- 
rarch. Eccles.  lib.  6.  cap  1.  saith;  "General  councils 
have  not  a  divine  or  supernatural  original,  but  merely 
human  original  and  are  the  invention  of  Constantino; 
profitable  indeed  sometimes  to  find  out  in  controversy 

20 


230  JESUIT 

which  is  the  orthodox  catholic  truth :  though  to  this  they 
are  not  necessary,  seeing  it  is  a  readier  way  to  advise 
with  the  apostolic  seat.*'  Is  your  representative 
church  the  foundation  of  your  faith,  a  novelty  of  Con- 
stantine's  invention ;  and  yet  are  you  in  the  old  way, 
and  must  we  be  put  to  prove  you  to  be  novelists'? 

Do  you  think  those  popes  did  go  the  old  way,  of 
whom  Alvarus  Pelagius  speaks,  Planctu  Eccles.  art. 
15.  lib.  2;  "They  succeeded  in  authority,  but  not  in 
sanctity,  intruding  themselves,  procuring,  bargaining, 
&c.  building  towers  and  palaces  in  Babylon,  that  is  in 
Rome  according  to  Jerom."  Some  foul  innovation  sure 
they  were  guilty  of  that  so  re-edified  Babylon. 

This  is  my  first  proof  that  you  are  novelists;  from 
the  general  accusations  of  others,  and  confessions  of 
your  own. 

2.  Another  proof  that  changes  may  be,  and  yet  the 
time  and  authors  be  kn  wn  ;  is,  from  the  instance  of 
other  churches,  which  have  b*en  corrupted  or  subvert- 
ed by  innovations,  and  yet  the  time  and  authors  are 
unknown.  You  accuse  the  churches  in  Habassia  of 
many  errors  yourselves;  and  you  are  not  able  to  tell 
us  when  they  came  in,  or  who  introduced  them.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  Georgians,  Armenians,  Egyp- 
tians, and  of  the  Greeks  and  Russians.  Can  you  tell 
us  when,  and  by  whom,  each  error  was  introduced, 
that  corrupted  the  churches  mentioned  in  the  Scripture  .'* 
Corinth,  Philippi,  Colosse,  Thessalonica,  Ephesus,  Lao- 
dicea,  and  the  rest.  You  can  give  us  no  better  account 
of  that  than  we  can  of  the  authors  of  your  own  corrup- 
tions. 

Among  the  primitive  fathers,  whose  writings  are 
come  to  our  hands,  many  errors  had  the  major  vote ; 
as  that  corporeity  of  angels,  which  your  second  general 
council  at  Nice  owned,  the  millenary  conceit,  and  many 
more  which  you  confess  to  be  errors.  Tell  us  when 
any  of  those  came  in,  if  you  can,  unless  you  believe 
that  Papias  received  the  last  from  John,  and  then  it  is 
no  error.  Who  did  first  induce  the  Asian  churches  to 
celebrate  Easter  at  a  season  differing  from  yours?  who 
first  brought  the  Britons  to  it  ?  We  know  not  certainly 
who  first  converted  many  nations  on  earth,  nor  when 


JUGGLING.  231 

they  first  received  tlioir   Cliristianity :  and   how  then 
should  we  know  wlien  they  first  received  each  error  .' 

Good  men  did  bring  in  novelties:  and  what  was  by 
them  introduced  as  indifferent,  by  custom  grew  to  seem 
necessary :  and  what  they  received  as  a  doubtful  opin- 
ion was  esteemed  a  point  of  faith.  The  presbyters 
and  whole  clergy  of  Neocesarea  were  oflfended  with 
Basil  for  his  innovations  ;  for  bringing  in  a  new  psalm- 
ody, or  way  of  singing  to  God,  and  for  his  new  order 
■of  monastics  :  and  they  told  him  that  none  of  that  was 
so  in  Gregory's  days.  What  answered  Basil  ?  He 
denieth  not  the  novelty  of  this  psalmody,  but  retorts 
again  on  them,  that  their  litany  also  was  new,  and  not 
knoNvn  in  the  time  of  Gregory  Thaumaturgus  ;  "  How 
know  you,  says  he,  that  those  things  were  not  in  the 
days  of  Gregory?  for  you  have  kept  nothing  unchang- 
ed to  this  day  of  all  that  he  was  used  to."  You  see 
what  changing  was  then  in  the  church  among  all  sorts, 
when  such  an  alteration  was  made  in  less  than  forty 
years.  Yet  Basil  would  not  have  any  unity  to  be  laid 
on  any  of  those  things,  but  addeth ;  "We  pardon  all 
those  things,  though  God  will  examine  all  things  :  only 
let  the  principal  things  be  safe. "  Basil  Epist.  63.  Isi- 
dore Pelusiota  lib.  1.  Epist.  90,  saith  ;  "The  apostles 
.of  the  Lord  studying  to  restrain  and  suppress  unmeet 
loquacity,  and  shewing  themselves  masters  of  modesty 
and  gravity  to  us,  did  by  wise  councils  permit  women 
to  sing  in  the  churches.  But  as  all  God's  documents 
are  turned  into  the  contrary,  so  this  is  turned  to  disso- 
luteness, and  the  occasion  for  sin.  For  they  are  not 
affected  with  deep  compunction  in  singing  divine 
hymns;  but  abusing  the  sweetness  of  the  singing,  to 
the  irritating  and  provoking  of  lust,  they  take  it  for  no 
better  than  stage-play  songs."  Therefore  he  adviseth 
that  they  be  suffered  to  sing  no  more. 

Here  you  see ;  that  changes  had  happened  about 
many  divine  things:  that  he  adviseth  himself  the  intro- 
ducing of  this  novelty,  that  wom^n  be  forbidden  singing 
in  the  church,  because  of  the  abuse,  though  he  confess 
it  a  wise  apostolic  order.  So  that  for  novelty  by  good 
men  to  creep  into  God's  worship,  is  not  strange. 

3.  Moreover  the  nature  of  the  thing  may  tell  all  the 


232  JESUIT 

world,  that  neither  you  nor  we  can  account  for  the  be- 
ginning of  every  error  that  crcepeth  into  the  church; 
for  the  distance  of  time  is  great.  Historians  are  not 
so  exact:  and  what  they  tell  us  not,  neither  you, 
nor  we  can  know — Much  history  is  perished — Much 
is  corrupted  by  your  wicked  forgeries — Mixtures  of 
fables  have  hindered  the  credit  of  much  of  it — Nations 
are  not  individual  persons,  but  consist  of  millions  of 
individuals:  and  as  it  is  not  a  whole  nation  that  is  con- 
verted to  the  faith  at  once,  so  neither  is  it  whole  nations 
that  are  perverted  to  heresy  at  once,  but  one  receiveth 
it  first,  and  then  more  and  more,  till  it  overspread  the 
whole.  Paul  saitli  that  such  doctrine  eateth  like  gan- 
grene'; and  that  is  by  degrees,  beginning  on  one  part, 
and  proceeding  to  the  rest.  That  which  is  at  first  re- 
ceived but  as  an  opinion  and  an  indifl^erent  thing,  must 
have  time  to  grow  into  a  custom,  and  that  custom  maketh 
it  a  law,  and  makes  opinions  grow  up  to  be  articles  of 
faith,  and  ceremonies  grow  to  be  necessary  things.  This 
is  the  common  way  of  propagating  opinions  in  the 
world.  Usher  dc  successu,  et  statu  Ecchs.  Mornaifs 
Mysteiy  of  Iniquity,  and  Rivet  in  the  defence  of  him 
against  Costcrellus.  Pet.  Molinaus  hath  purposely 
written  a  book  de  Novitate  Pa'pismi,  et  Antiqvitate 
veri  Christianismi,  showing  the  newness  of  Popery  in 
the  several  parts  of  it. 

4.  Can  you  tell  us  yourselves,  when  many  of  your 
doctrines  or  practices  sprung  up  ?  When  took  you  up 
your  Sabbath'' s  fast,  for  such  you  have  been  condemn- 
ed by  a  council  ?  When  the  twentieth  canon  of  the 
Nicene  council,  and  when  the  canons  at  Trull  were 
made.  It  was  the  practice  of  the  church  through  the 
known  world,  to  pray  and  perform  other  worship  stand- 
ing, and  to  avoid  kneeling  on  the  Lord's  day:  Tell  us 
when  this  canon  and  tradition  was  first  violated  by  you, 
and  by  whom  1  It  was  once  the  custom  of  your  church 
to  give  infi\nts  the  Eucharist:  Who  first  broke  it  of!'? 
It  was  once  your  practice  to  communicate  in  both 
kinds  :  Who  first  denied  the  cup  to  the  Laity?  At  first 
it  was  only  a  doubtful  opinion,  that  saints  are  to  be 
prayed  to,  and  the  dead  prayed  for,  which  came  into 
men's   minds  about  the  third  or  fourth  century:  But 


JUGOLINXJ.  ^33 

who  first  made  them  articles  of  faith  ?  Augustin  began 
to  doubt,  whether  there  were  not  some  kind  of  Purga- 
tory: But  who  first  made  this  also  a  point  of  faith? 
Who  was  it  that  first  added  the  books  of  the  Maccabees, 
and  many  others  to  the  canon  of  Scripture,  contrary  to 
the  council  of  Laodicea,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  consent 
of  antiquity.  Who  was  it  that  first  taught  and  prac- 
tised the  putting  an  oath  to  all  the  clergy  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  to  be  true  to  the  Pope,  and  to  obey  him  as 
the  Vicar  of  Christ  ?  Wlio  first  taught  men  to  swear 
that  they  would  not  interpret  Scripture,  but  according  to 
the  unanimous  consent  of  the  Fathers  ?  Who  was  the 
first  that  brought  in  the  doctrine  or  name  of  Transub- 
stantiation  1  and  who  first  made  it  an  article  of  faith  ? 
Who  first  made  it  a  point  of  faith  to  believe  that  there 
are  just  seven  sacraments,  neither  fewer  nor  more? 
Did  any  before  the  council  of  Trent  swear  men  to  re- 
ceive and  profess  without  doubting,  all  things  delivered 
by  the  canons  and  Oecumenical  councils,  when  at  the 
same  time  they  cast  off  themselves  the  canons  of  many 
general  councils,  and  so  are  generally  and  knowingly 
perjured?  These  and  abundance  more  you  know  to  be 
novelties  with  you,  if  wilfulness  or  gross  ignorance 
bear  not  rule  with  you ;  and  without  great  impudence 
you  cannot  deny  it.  Tell  us  when  these  first  came  up, 
and  satisfy  yourselves. 

Apneas  Sylvius,  Epist  288,  saith,  "  before  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice,  there  was  little  respect  had  to  the  church 
of  Rome."  You  see  here  the  time  is  mentioned,  when 
your  foundation  was  not  laid. 

Cardinal  iVico/a5  Cusanus,  de  Concord.  Cathol.  c.  13, 
&c.,  as  plainly  tells  you;  "that  the  Papacy  is  but  of 
positive  right  ]  and  that  the  priests  are  equal :  and  that 
it  is  subjectional  consent  that  gives  the  pope  and 
bishops  their  majority;  and  that  the  distinction  of  dio- 
cess,  and  thai  a  bishop  be  over  presbyters,  are  of  posi- 
tive right ;  and  that  Christ  gave  no  more  to  Peter  than 
the  rest;  and  that  if  the  Congregate  Church  should 
choose  the  bishop  of  Trent  for  their  president  or  head, 
he  should  be  more  properly  Peter's  successor  than  the 
bishop  of  Rome."  Tell  us  now  when  did  the  contrary 
doctrine  first  arise? 

20» 


234  JESUIT 

Gregory  de  Valcntia,  de  leg.  usu  Euchar.  ca'p.  10. 
states,  '•  that  the  receiving  the  sacrament  in  one  kind, 
began  not  by  the  decree  of  any  bishop,  but  by  the  very 
use  of  the  churches,  and  the  consent  of  believers  :  and 
that  it  is  unknown  when  that  custom  first  begun,  or  got 
head,  but  that  it  was  general  in  the  Latin  Church,  not 
long  before  the  late  council  of  Constance."  And  may 
you  not  see  in  this,  how  other  points  came  in  ? 

If  Pope  Zosimus  had  but  had  his  will,  and  the  fa- 
thers of  the   Carthage  council  had  not  diligently  dis 
covered,  shamed,  and  resisted  his  forgery,  the  world 
had  received  a  new  Nicene  canon,  and  we  should  ne- 
ver have  known  the  original  of  it. 

The  Latin  tongue  was  the  vulgar  tongue,  when  the 
Liturgy  and  Scripture  was  first  written  in  it;  at  Rome, 
and  far  and  near,  it  was  understood  by  all.  The  service 
was  not  changed,  as  to  the  language:  butthe  language  it- 
self changed :  and  so  Scripture  and  Liturgy  came  to  be 
in  an  unknown  tongue.  When  did  the  Latin  tongue 
cease  to  be  understood  by  all?  Tell  us  what  year,  or 
by  whom  the  change  was  made?  Erasmus  Decl.  ad 
ceiisur.  Paris,  tit.  12.  sect.  41,  saith ;  "The  vulgar 
tongue  was  not  taken  from  the  people,  but  the  people 
departed  from  it" 

5.  Your  errors  were  not  in  the  times  of  the  apostles, 
nor  long  after,  and  therefore  they  are  innovations.  If 
I  find  a  man  in  a  dropsy,  or  a  consumption,  I  would 
not  tell  him,  that  he  is  well,  and  ought  not  to  seek 
remedy,  unless  he  can  tell  when  he  began  to  be  ill,  and 
what  caused  it. 

You  take  us  to  be  heretical :  and  yet  3'ou  cannot  tell 
us  when  our  errors  did  first  arise.  Will  you  tell  us  of 
Luther?  You  know  the  Albigenses  whom  you  mur- 
dered by  hundreds  and  thousands,  were  long  before 
him.  JDo  you  know  when  they  begun  ?  Your  Reine- 
rius  saith,  that  some  said,  they  were  from  Silvester's 
days;  and  some  said  since  the  apostles :  but  no  other 
beginning  do  you  know. 

6.  What  need  we  any  more  than  to  find  you  owning 
the  very  doctrine  and  practice  of  innovation?  When 
you  maintain  that  you  can  make  us  new  articles  of 
faith,  and  new  worship,  and  new  discipline,  and  that 


JUGGLING.  235 

the  Pope  can  dispense  with  the  Scriptures,  and  such 
like:  what  reason  have  we  to  believe  that  your  church 
abhorreth  novelty  ? 

Pope  Leo  X.,  among  other  of  Luther's  opinions, 
reckoned  and  opposed  this  as  licretical ;  "  It  is  certain 
that  it  is  not  in  the  hand  of  the  church  or  pope,  to  make 
articles."     Bulla  co?tt.  Luther. 

The  council  of  Constance  that  took  the  supremacy 
justly  from  the  pope,  did  unjustly  take  the  cup  from 
the  laity  in  the  Euciiarist;  "  Though  in  the  primitive 
church  this  sacrament  was  received  by  believers  under 
both  kinds.-' 

The  council  of  Trent  say,  Sess.  21.  cap.  1,2;  "  This 
power  was  always  in  the  church  :  that  in  dispensing 
the  sacraments,  saving  the  substance  of  them,  it  might 
ordain  or  change  things,  as  it  should  judge  most  expe- 
dient to  the  profit  of  the  receiver." 

Vasquez  To.  2.  Disp.  216.  N.  60,  saith  :  "Though 
we  should  grant  that  this  was  a  precept  of  the  apostles, 
nevertheless  the  church  and  pope  might  on  just  causes 
abrogate  it :  for  the  power  of  the  apostles  was  no  greater 
than  the  power  of  the  church  and  pope,  in  bringing  in 
precepts." 

Pope  Innocent  says  ;  by  the  fulness  of  our  power,  we 
candispense  with  the  law  above  law.   The  Gloss  therein 
saith;  '-The    pope    dispenseth    against    the    apostle; 
against  the  Old  Testament.     The  pope  dispenseth  with 
the  Gospel,  interpreting  it."   Gregory  de  Valent.  Tom. 
4.  disp,  b.  8;  saith;  "  Certainly  some  things  in  later 
times  are  more  rightly  constituted  in  the  church  than 
they  were  in  the  beginning."     Cardinal   Perron  said, 
lib' '2:    Obs.   3.   cap.   3.  against   King  .Tames;  on  the 
authority  of  the  church  to  alter  matters  contained  in 
the  Scripture:  and  he  instanced  of  the  form  of  sacra- 
ments being  alterable;  and  the  Lord's  command,  drink 
ye  all  of  it,  mutable  and  dispensable.  Tolet ;  "  It  is  cer- 
tain, that  all  things  instituted  by  the  apostles  were  not 
of  divine  right.     Andradius  Defens.  Concil.  Trid.  lib. 
2.  p.  236  ;  hence  it  is  plain  that  they  do  not  err  that  say 
the  popes  of  Rome  may  sometime  dispense  with  laws 
made  by  Paul  and  the  four  first  councils.     Bzovius 
saith  :  "  The  Roman  church  using  apostolical  power, 


236  JESUIT 

doth  according  to  the  condition  of  times,  change  all 
things  for  the  better,"  And  yet  will  you  submit  to  be 
taken  for  changers  and  novelists  ?  Chemniiius  Exam- 
in.  concil.  Trident. 

Augustin  Triumph,  cle  Ancon.  q.  5.  art.  l,saith;  "To 
make  a  new  creed,  belongs  only  to  the  pope :  because 
he  is  the  head  of  the  Christian  faith,  by  whose  author- 
ity all  things  belonging  to  faith  are  confirmed  and 
strengthened."  Art.  2]  "As  he  may  make  a  new 
creed,  so  he  may  multiply  new  articles  upon  new  arti- 
cles." I?}i  Prafat.  sum.  ad  Johan  22;  "  The  pope's  pow- 
er is  infinite  ;  because  the  Lord  is  great,  and  his  strength 
great,  and  of  his  greatness  there  is  no  end :"  and  Q  36  ; 
"  The  pope  giveth  the  motion  of  direction,  and  the 
sense  of  knowledge,  to  all  the  members  of  the  church  ; 
for  in  him  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being.  The 
Vv'ill  of  God,  and  consequently  the  pope's  will,  who  is 
his  vicar,  is  the  first  and  chief  cause  of  all  motions  cor- 
poral and  spiritual  "  Then  no  doubt  he  may  change 
without  blame. 

Abbas  Panormitan.  cap.  C.  Christus  de  hacret.  n.  2. 
saith :  "  The  pope  can  bring  in  a  new  article  of  faith," 
Peter  de  Anchoran.  asserts:  "  The  pope  can  make  new 
articles  of  faith;  such  as  now  ought  to  be  believed, 
when  before  they  ought  not  to  be  believed." 

Tiirrecrcmat.  sum.  de  Eccl.  lib,  2.  cap.  20d,  said; 
"The  pope  is  the  m  asiire  and  rule,  and  science  of 
thing's  to  be  believed."  August,  de  Ancona  shews  us 
that  "the  judgment  of  God  is  not  higher  than  the  pope  s, 
but  the  same ;  therefore  no  man  may  appeal  from  the 
pope  to  God  :"   Qu.  6.  Art,  1. 

The  following  is  a  great  Popish  argniiunt  for  the  Papacy. 

"  It  will  not  be  denied  that  the  church  of  Rome  was 
once  a  most  pure,  excellent,  flourishing  and  mother 
church  ;  and  her  faith  renowned,  in  the  world,  Ro?n.  1. 
8.  ct  6.  et  16.  Whitens  Def.  Wkiiaker^ s  Answer  to 
Sanders.  Fulke  cap.  21.  Thes.  7.  Reynolds  Conclusion^. 

That  church  could  not  cease  to  be  such,  but  she 
must  fall  either  by  apostacy.  heresy,  or  schism. 

Apostacy  is  not  only  a  renouncing  of  the  faith  of 
Christ;  but  of  the  name  and  title  of  Christianity.  No 
man  will  say  that  the  church  of  Rome  had  such  a  fall, 
or  so  fell. 


JUGGLING.  237 

Heresy  is  an  adhesion  or  fast  cleaving"  to  some  pri- 
vate or  singular  opinion,  or  error  in  faith,  contrary  to 
the  generally  approved  doctrine  of  the  church. 

If  the  church  of  Rome  did  ever  adhere  to  any  singu- 
lar or  new  opinion,  disagreeable  to  the  common  receiv- 
ed doctrine  of  the  Christan  world,  I  pray  you  satisfy 
me  in  those  particulars;  by  what  general  council  was 
she  ever  condemned  i*  which  of  the  fathers  ever  writ 
against  her?  by  what  authority  was  she  otherwise  re- 
proved / 

For  it  seems  to  be  a  thing  very  incongruous,  that  so 
great  a  church  should  be  condemned  by  every  private 
person,  who  hath  a  mind  to  condemn  her. 

Schism  is  a  departure  or  division  from  the  unity  of 
tlie  church,  whereby  the  bond  and  communion  held 
with  some  former  church  ir^  broken  and  dissolved. 

If  ever  the  church  of  Rome  divided  herself  from  any 
body  of  faithful  Christians,  or  broke  communion,  or 
went  forth  from  the  society  of  any  elder  church,  I  pray 
you  satisfy  me  in  those  particulars:  whose  company 
did  she  leave  ?  from  what  body  went  she  forth?  where 
was  the  true  church  she  forsook  / 

It  appears  not  a  little  strange,  that  a  church  should 
be  accounted  schismatical,  when  there  cannot  be  assign- 
ed any  other  church  different  from  her,  which  from 
asfe  to  ag-e  since  Christ's  time  hath  continued  visible, 
from  which  she  departed." 

^inswer  to  the  foregoing  ^Irgument. 

If  the  author  of  this  argument  thinks  as  he  speaks, 
it  is  a  case  to  be  lamented  with  tears  of  blood,  that  the 
church  of  Christ  should  be  abused,  and  the  souls  of 
men  deluded  by  men  of  so  great  ignorance.  But  if  he 
knew  that  he  doth  but  juggle  and  deceive,  it  is  lamenta- 
ble that  any  matter  of  salvation  should  fall  into  such 
hands. 

The  word  church  here  is  ambiguous,  and  either  sig- 
nifieth,  a  particular  church  which  is  an  association  of 
Christians  for  personal  communion  in  God's  worship, 
or  divers  such  associations,  or  churches  associated  for 
communion  by  their  officers  or  delegates,  for  unity 
sake.  Or  else  it  may  signify  one  mistress  church 
that  is  the  ruler  of  all  the  rest  in  the  world.     Or  else  it 


238  JESUIT 

may  signify  the  universal  church  itself,  which  contain- 
eth  all  the  particular  churches  in  the  world. 

The  Papist  should  not  have  played  either  the  blind 
man  or  the  juggler  by  confounding  those,  and  never  tel- 
ling us  which  he  means.  For  the  first  we  grant  him 
that  Rome  vvas  once  an  excellent  flourishing  church; 
and  so  was  Ephesus,  Jerusalem,  Philippi,  Colosse 
and  many  more. 

As  to  the  :^econd  sense,  it  is  human  or  from  church 
custom,  so  to  take  the  word  church  ;  for  Scripture  doth 
not  so  use  it:  but  for  the  thing  we  are  indifferent: 
though  it  cannot  be  proved  that  in  Scripture  times  Rome 
had  any  more  than  one  particular  church. 

As  to  the  third  and  fourth  senses,  we  deny,  as  confi- 
dently as  we  do  that  the  sun  is  darkness,  that  ever  in 
Scripture  times  Rome  was  either  a  mother  to  all  churches, 
or  the  raler  and  mistress  of  all,  or  yet  the  universal 
church  itself.     Prove  that  and  I  will  turn  Papist  I 

But  there  is  not  a  word  for  it  in  the  texts  cited,  but 
an  intimation  of  much  against  it.  Paul  calleth  Rome 
a  church  and  commendeth  its  faith  :  but  doth  he  not  so 
by  the  Thessalonians,  Colossians,  Ephesians,  Philip- 
pians,  &c.  and  John  by  the  Philadelphians,  Pergamos, 
Thyatira,  and  others,  as  well .''  And  will  not  this 
prove  that  Rome  was  but  such  a  particular  church  as 
one  of  them  ? 

Rome  was  once  a  true  and  famous  particular  church, 
but  never  the  unitersal  church,  nor  the  ruler  of  the 
world,  or  of  all  other  churches,  in  Paul's  days.  Would 
you  durst  lay  your  cause  on  this,  and  put  it  to  the  trial.? 
Why  else  did  never  Paul  make  one  word  of  mention  of 
this  power  and  honor,  nor  send  other  churches  to  her 
to  be  governed  ? 

What  is  it  to  me,  whether  Rome  be  turned  either 
apostate,  heretical,  or  schismatical,  any  more  than 
whether  Jerusalem,  Ephesus,  Philippi,  or  any  other 
church  be  so  fallen?  if  you  are  not  fallen  I  am  glad 
of  it;  if  you  are  I  am  sorry  for  it;  and  so  I  have  done 
with  you,  unless  I  knew  how  to  recover  you.  Would 
you  not  laugh  at  the  church  of  Jerusalem  that  was  truly 
the  mother  church  of  the  world,  if  they  should  thus 
reason;  "  We  are  not  fallen  away:  therefore  we  must 


JUGGLING.  239 

rule  over  all  the  world,  and  no  man  is  a  Christian  that 
dotli  not  obey  us?  " 

We  accuse  you  not  of  renouncing  the  name  of  Christ; 
but  according  to  your  own  definition  of  heresy,  you  are 
guilty  of  many  heresies. 

To  your  questions,  I  answer.  What  general  coun- 
cils did  ever  condemn  onehalf  of  the  heresies  mention- 
ed by  Epiphanius,  August  in  or  Philastrius  ?  Was  there 
ever  a  greater  rubble  of  heresies  than  before  ever  a  ge- 
neral council  was  known?  and  were  they  dead  and 
buried  before  the  first  general  council  was  born?  Did 
you  not  smile  when  you  wrote  those  delusory  questions  ; 
How  can  a  general  council  condemn  you,  or  any  great 
part  of  the  church  ?  for  instance,  the  Greeks,  &c.  If 
you  be  not  there,  it  is  not  a  general  council  ?  And  will 
you  be  there  to  condemn  yourselves  ?  You  have  more 
wit,  and  less  grace.  General  councils  did  ever  con- 
demn the  Greeks,  for  those  many  errors  charged  on 
them  ?  If  the  Greeks  themselves  were  not  there,  it  was 
not  a  general  council :  so  considerable  a  part  are  they  of 
the  professing  church.  And  what  general  council  hath 
condemned  the  Abassines,  Egyptians,  &c. 

Do  you  think  general  councils  are  so  stark  mad  or 
horridly  impious,  as  to  condemn  so  many  kingdoms 
with  one  condemnation  for  heresy?  They  know  that 
men  must  be  heard,  before  they  be  condemned,  and  a 
kingdom  consisteth  of  many  millions  ot  souls.  It  is 
not  enough  to  know  every  man's  faith,  if  we  know  the 
faith  of  the  king,  or  pope,  or  arch-bishop,  or  prelates. 
How  long  shall  they  be  examining  each  person  in 
many  kingdoms.? 

Yet  I  can  say  more  of  your  church  than  of  others. 
He  that  kills  the  head,  kills  the  man.  Your  usurping 
head  is  an  essential  part  of  your  new-formed  church  : 
but  your  head  hath  been  condemned  by  councils ;  there- 
fore your  church  in  its  essential  part  hath  been  con- 
demned by  councils.  Do  you  not  know  that  all 
the  world  condemned  your  Pope  Marcellinus  for  offer- 
ing to  idols  ?  Know  you  not  that  two  or  three  general 
councils  condemned  Pope  Honorius  as  a  monothelite  ? 
that  the  second  general  council  of  Ephesus  condemned 
and  excommunicated  your  pope?  And  that  the  council 


240  JESUIT 

of  Basil,  called  by  him,  did  the  like  1  If  you  do  not, 
see  Bellarmin's  parallel  of  them,  de.  ConcUiis  lib.  2. 
cap.  11.  Do  I  need  to  tell  you  what  the  council  of 
Constance  did  ?  Or  for  what  Jo/m  XXII,  alias  XXIII, 
and  Johii  XIII,  and  other  Popes  were  deposed  by  coun- 
cils? Do  I  need  to  tell  you  how  many  Fathers  condemned 
Marcellinus,  Liberius,  Honorius  and  others/  How 
oft  Hilary  Pictavius  fragmentis  in  Epist.  Liberii, 
doth  cry  out.  Anathema  iibi,  Liberi,  prcevaricator : 
presuming  to  curse  and  excommunicate  your  pope. 
Need  I  tell  you  what  Tertullian  saith  against  Zephe- 
rinus .''  what  Alphonsus  a  Castro,  and  divers  of  your 
own,  say  against  Liberius,  Honorius,  Anastasius,  Ce- 
lestin;  and  tell  us  that  many  popes  have  been  heretics  .-' 
At  least  permit  us  to  believe  Pope  Adrian  VI.,  himself. 
Bannes  in  T.  2.  q.  1.  art.  10,  proves  at  large  against 
Pighius,  that  a  pope  may  be  a  heretic;  and  laughs  at 
Pighius  that  now,  after  two  hundred  years,  would 
prove  them  false  witnesses,  who  write  that  Pope  Hon- 
orius was  condemned  for  a  heretic  by  three  popes, 
Agatho,  Leo  II.  and  Adrian  II. 

But  though  the  popes  have  been  condemned  by 
councils,  yet  so  have  not  your  maintained  doctrines. 
Did  not  the  councils  at  Constantinoplecondemn  the  doc- 
trine of  the  second  Nicene  council  for  image-worship, 
and  the  council  at  Frankford  do  the  like  7  and  those 
two  at  Constantinople  were  much  more  general  than 
your  council  of  Trent  was. 

That  same  council  at  Nice  condemned  the  doctrine 
of  Thomas  Aquinas,  and  your  doctors  commonly,  of 
worshipping  the  image  of  Christ,  and  the  cross,  and 
sign  of  the  cross,  with  Latria,  divine  worship. 

Did  not  your  general  councils  at  Lateran  and  Flor- 
ence declare  that  the  pope  i  above  a  council,  and  that 
they  cannot  depose  him  ?  Yet  your  general  councils 
at  Constance  and  Basil  determine  the  contrary  as  an 
article  of  faith,  and  expressly  affirm  the  former  to  be 
heresy.  Then  your  own  doctrine,  even  in  a  fundamen- 
tal point,  is  condemned  by  general  councils  of  your 
own,  which  side  soever  you  take,  the  pope's,  or  the 
council's. 

Did  not  the  sixth   eouncil  of  Carthage,  of  which 


JUGGLING.  241 

Augustia  was  a  priiicipal  member,  not  only  detect  Pope 
Zosimus'  forged  canon  of  Nice,  but  also  openly  and 
prevalently  resist  and  reject  his  usurpation,  and  refuse 
his  Legates  and  Appeals?  Pope  Boniface,  Epist.  ad 
Eidalium,  says,  "  Aurelius,  sometime  bishop  of  Carth- 
age, with  his  colleagues,  did  begin,  by  the  deviTs  insti- 
gation to  wax  proud  against  the  church  of  Rome,  in  the 
times  of  our  predecessors,  Boniface  and  Celestin." 

Harding  against  Jewel's  challenge,  art.  4.  sect.  19: 
says,  "  After  the  whole  African  church  had  persevered 
in  schism  the  space  of  twenty  years,  and  had  removed 
themselves  from  the  obedience  of  the  apostolic  seat, 
being  deduced  by  Aurelius  Bishop  of  Carthage."  Aus- 
tin was  one  of  them. 

But  you  say,  that  this  was  not  a  general  council. 
True;  for  when  part  riseth  against  part,  it  cannot  be 
the  whole  that  is  on  either  side. 

Do  you  not  know  that  the  Greeks  have  often  con- 
demned you?  Truly  their  councils  have  been  much  more 
general  than  yours  at  Trent  was  ;  where  about  forty 
bishops  altered  the  canon  of  Scripture,  and  made  tradi- 
tion equal  with  it.  This  one  county  would  have  af- 
forded a  far  better  council  of  a  greater  number. 

One  general  council  hath  condemned  your  very 
foundation;  and  that  is  the  fourth  general  council  at 
Calcedon,  Act.  15.  Can.  28,  and  Act.  16;  where  you 
may  find,  that  the  ancient  privileges  of  the  Roman 
throne  were  given  them  by  the  fathers  in  council. 
That  the  reason  was,  because  Rome  was  the  Imperial 
city.  That  they  give  equal  privileges  to  the  seat  of 
Constantinople,  because  it  was  now  become  new  Rome: 
and  that  the  Roman  Legates  would  not  be  present  at  that 
act.  But  the  next  day  when  they  did  appear,  and  pre- 
tended that  this  act  was  forced,  the  bishops  all  cried: 
"  No  man  was  compelled.  It  i.s  a  just  decree.  We  all 
say  thus.  We  approve  it.  AVe  all  approve  it.  Let  that 
stand  that  is  decreed.      It  is  all  right." 

That  general  council  thought  they  needed  not  the 
pope's  approbation  for  the  validity  of  their  decrees  : 
when  they  pass  them  and  take  them  for  valid,  even 
contrary  to  the  will  of  the  pope.  Did  that  council 
think  that  their  decrees  were  invalid,  if  the  pope  ap- 

21 


242  JESUIT 

prove  them  not?  They  did  not.  And  who  is  now  to 
be  believed  ?  Bellarmin  and  his  party,  and  the  present 
prevalent  party  oi  the  Papists,  that  say,  councils  not 
approved  by  the  pope  are  invalid  or  without  authority: 
or  the  council  of  Calcedon  that  thought  otherwise? 

The  pope's  legates  called  that  proceeding;  "  A  hum- 
bling, and  depressing,  and  wronging  of  the  Papacy ; 
and  therefore  entered  their  dissent."  Bellarmin  Con^ 
fession  lib.  2.  de  Pontif.  cap.  17.  Binius  Notes  on  that 
council.    Baronius  cm.  451. 

The  shifts  of  Bellarmin,  Binius,  Baronius,  Becanus,- 
Gretser,  &c.,  are  false  which  say  that  canon  was  sur- 
reptitiously brought  into  the  council,  j^tiiis,  Act.  16, 
openly  professed  the  contrary,  and  all  the  bishops  gave 
their  consent  to  the  last. 

This  is  one  of  the  four  great  councils  which  the  Pa- 
pists themselves  compare  to  the  four  Gospels;  and  in  it 
were  six  hundred  and  thirty  fathers. 

That  great  council  is  against  them,  and  on  the  Pro- 
testant side,  in  the  very  foundation  of  all  our  differences, 
whether  the  Roman  privileges  be  of  divine  or  human 
right?  And  though  it  be  but  the  privileges,  and  not 
the  now  claimed  vicarship  that  was  in  question,  yet  the 
conclusion  is  the  stronger  against  them,  because  the 
lesser  was  denied. 

But  their  last  shift  is,  that  this  clause  or  canon  was 
not  approved,  and  so  is  null.  Mark  then  ;  we  have 
general  councils  against  you  ;  but  we  want  the  pope's 
approbation.  Was  that  the  meaning  of  your  question, 
what  council  ?  that  is  what  pope  condemned  our 
church?  Can  it  be  expected  that  a  man  should  con- 
demn himself?  or,  can  you  be  no  heretic  till  then? 

Did  not  your  pope  aprove  of  that  council,  when 
Gregory  L  likened  it  with  the  other  three  to  the  four 
Gospels?  and  said  "  I  embrace  it  with  my  whole  de- 
votion :  I  keep  it  with  most  entire  approbation,"  Greg. 
1.  Regist.  I.  1.  Epist.  24.  Decrees,  Dist.  15.  c.  2.  This 
is  expressly  a  full  approbation,  not  without  excepting 
any  part  only,  but  excluding  all  such  exceptions.  The 
like  approbation  of  Gelasius  in  the  Roman  council,  is 
cited  there  also  in  the  decrees. 

It  is  no  hard  matter  to  prove  you  condemned  by  your 


JtlGOLING.  243 

own  popes.  If  you  could  but  undorstand  llio  plaincsl 
words,  there  needed  no  talk  to  persuade  you  that  Pope 
Gregory  I.  condemned  the  title  of  universal  bishop 
or  patriarch  ;  proressing  earnestly  that  he  was  the  fore- 
runner of  antichrist  that  would  usurp  it.  But  the  plain 
truth  is,  as  sad  experience  tcachcth  us,  no  words  of 
fathers,  popes  or  councils,  much  less  of  Scripture,  arc 
intelliafible  to  you.  But  we  may  truly  say  of  you,  thai 
lay  all  on  the  will  of  the  pope,  as  Lodovicus  Vives 
freely  speaketh,  Schol.  in  August,  lib.  20.  de  Civit. 
Del,  cap.  20  ;  "  Those  are  taken  by  them  for  edicts  and 
councils,  which  make  for  them,  or  are  on  their  side  : 
the  rest  they  no  more  regard  than  a  meeting  of  women 
in  a  workhouse  or  a  \vashing  place."  Do  you  under- 
stand this  lano-uaire  o[  one  too  honest  to  have  much 
company? 

You  have  a  third  question;  "By  what  authority 
was  she  otherwise  reproved?"  By  the  authority  of 
that  precept,  Levit  19.  17.  By  the  same  authority  that 
Paul  reproved  Peter,  Galatians  2,  and  withstood  him 
to  the  face.  By  such  authority  as  any  man  may 
quench  a  fire  in  his  neighbor's  house:  or  pull  a  man 
out  of  the  water  that  is  drowning  :  or  as  any  one  psistor 
may  reprove  another  when  he  sinneth.  By  the  same 
authority  as  Irenasus  rebuked  Victor,  and  the  Asian 
bishops  withstood  him  ;  and  as  Cyprian  and  the  coun- 
cil of  Carthage  repro^ved  Stephen  ;  and  the  rest  afore- 
cited did  what  they  di'd.  By  as  good  authority  as  the 
church  of  Kome  condemneth  the  Greek  church,  doth 
the  Greek  church  and  many  others  condemn  the 
priests  of  Rome. 

The  next  case  is  about  the  Roman  schism.  To 
question  whether  Papists  be  schismatics,  is  to  question 
whether  Ethiopians  be  black.  Do  you  not  at  this  day 
divide  from  all  the  Christian  world,  save  yourselves? 
do  you  not  unchurch  all  the  Christians  on  earth.  O 
dreadful  presumption  !  when  Christ  is  so  tender  of  his 
interest  and  his  servants,  and  is  bound,  as  it  were,  by 
so  many  promises  to  save  them  and  not  forsake  them. 
"  You  ask,  what  church  you  left.?  and  when  was  it.?  and 
whose  company  .?"  Senseless  questions  !  By  a  church, 
if  you  mean  the  universal  church  there  is  but  one  in 


244  JESUIT 

all:  and  therefore  one  universal  church  cannot  forsake 
another :  but  when  part  of  it  forsaketh  the  other  part, 
and  arrogateth  the  title  of  the  whole  to  themselves,  do 
you  doubt  whether  that  be  schism  1  If  you  mean  a  par- 
ticular church:  how  can  Spain,  Italy,  France,  and 
many  more  kingdoms,  go  out  of  a  particular  church, 
that  contain  so  many  hundred  particular  churches  in 
them?  No  more  than  London  can  go  out  of  Paul's 
church.  The  catholic  is  but  one,  containing  all  true 
Christians  on  earth:  and  you  have  been  guilty  of  a 
most  horrid  schism.  You  have  set  up  a  church  in  the 
church;  universal  church  in  the  universal  church;  a 
new  form  destructive  to  the  old.  Your  pope  as  Christ's 
representative,  is  now  an  essential  part  of  it,  and  no 
man  is  a  member  of  it,  that  is  not  a  member  of  the 
pope's  body,  and  subject  to  him.  So  that  even  the  an- 
tipodes, and  the  poor  Abassines,  that  know  not  whether 
the  pope  be  fish  or  flesh,  or  never  heard  of  such  a  name 
or  thing,  must  all  be  unchristened,  unchurched  and 
damned,  if  you  be  judges.  Bellarmin  tells  us,  which 
indeed  your  church  constitution  doth  infer,  that  all  that 
are  duly  baptized,  are  interpretatively  or  implicitly 
baptized  into  the  pope. 

As  you  have  devised  a  new  catholic  church,  so  you 
hereby  cast  off  and  disown  all  the  Christians  of  the 
world  that  be  not  of  your  party,  determining  that  none 
of  them  can  be  saved  :  who  yet  had  rather  venture  on 
your  curse  and  censure  than  into  your  heresy  and 
schism. 

You  fix  yourselves  in  this  schism,  and  put  us  who 
unfeignedly  long  for  peace,  out  of  all  hope  of  ever  hav- 
ing peace  with  you  ;  because  you  will  hearken  to  it  on 
no  terms,  but  that  all  men  become  subjects  to  your 
usurping  representative-Christ :  which  we  dare  as  soon 
leap  into  the  flre  as  do.  Do  you  know  now  where  the 
church  or  body  was  that  you  forsook  ?  It  was  all  over 
the  world  where  ever  there  was  any  Christians. 

Were  it  not  a  great  schism,  think  you,  if  a  few  Jes- 
uits should  say,  we  are  the  whole  church,  and  all  oth- 
ers arc  heretics  or  schismatics?  Or  was  it  not  a  great 
schism  of  the  Donatisls  to  arrogate  that  title  to  them- 
selves, and  unchurch  so  many  others  ?  and  what  church 


JUGGLING.  245 

did  they  forsake  ?  Augustin  tells  them  over  and  over, 
what  tlie  catholic  church  was  that  they  willidrcw  from  ; 
even  all  true  Christians  dispersed  over  the  earth:  or 
that  churcli  which  began  at  Jerusalem,  and  thence  dif- 
fused itself  tjjrough  the  world.  But  he  never  blames 
them  for  separating  from  the  universal  Roman  head  or 
vicar.  But  from  the  conspicuous  combination  of  par- 
ticular churches,  Optatus  and  he  do  blame  them  for 
withdrawing. 

What  if  John  of  Constantinople,  in  piosecution  of 
his  title  of  universal  patriarch,  had  concluded  as  you, 
that  none  in  the  world  are  Christ's  members  but  his 
members,  nor  of  the  church  but  his  subjects,  had  not 
this  been  a  notorious  schism  ?  Tell  us  then  what 
church  he  had  forsaken. 

But  your  last  caution  doth  condemn  yourselves. 
Must  that  church  that  is  true  be  visible  from  Christ's 
timei*  then  Constantinople,  nor  most  other,  were  never 
true  churches,  and  Rome  itself  was  never  a  true  church. 
Did  you  think  that  there  was  a  church  at  Rome  in 
ChrisVs  time?  you  are  not  so  ignorant.  By  this  rule 
there  should  be'no  true  church,  but  that  at  Jerusalem, 
and  those  in  Judea. 

But  suppose  you  had  said,  since  the  apostles'  time; 
that  also  had  excluded  most  churches  on  earth.  ^  But 
if  you  mean  the  universal  church;  it  hath  been  visible 
ever  since  Christ's  time  :  but  not  always  in  one  place 
or  country.  Is  not  the  greater  part  of  Christians  in 
the  world,  whom  you  schismatically  unchurch,  a  visi- 
ble company  ?  The  Abassines  and  many  churches  out 
of  the  Roman  empire  did  never  so  much  as  submit  to 
your  primacy  of  order,  nor  had  you  ever  any  thing  to 
do  with  them,  more  than  to  own  them  as  Christians; 
yet  now  are  condemned  by  your  arrogancy,  because 
they  will  not  begin,  in  the  end  of  the  world,  to  enter 
into  a  new  church  on  which  they  nor  their  forefathers 
had  ever  any  dependence.  It  was  a  shrewd  answer  of  an 
old  woman,  that  the  emperor  of  Habassia's  mother  gave 
to  Rodericus  the  Jesuit,  pressing  her  to  fee  subject  to 
the  Pope  as  Vicar  of  Christ,  or  else  shQ  could  not  be 
subject  to  Christ.  "  We  are  in  tht^  same  belief  as  we 
were  from  the  beginning:   If  it  ^vere  not  right  why  did 


246  JESUIT 

no  man  in  so  many  ages  warn  us  of  our  error  till  now'?''' 
Mark  here  a  double  argument  against  the  pope  :  one 
from  apostolical  tradition  ;  for  Godignus  himself  saitli, 
that  no  man  doubts  but  Ethiopia  received  the  faith  from 
tlie  beginning  even  from  the  Eunuch.  The  other  is, 
that  pope,  who  cannot  in  so  many  ages  look  after  his 
flock,  to  send  one  man  to  tell  them  that  they  erred  till 
about  one  thousand  five  hundred  years  after  Christ,  was 
never  intended  by  Christ  to  be  the  universal  governor 
of  the  world.  Will  Christ  set  any  on  an  impossible 
work  1  or  make  it  so  necessary  to  people  to  olje}'  one 
that  they  never  so  much  as  hear  from  ?  But  what  said 
the  Jesuit  to  the  old  woman  !  he  told  her  ;  "  The  Pope 
of  Rome  who  is  ihe  pastor  of  the  whole  church  of  Christ, 
was  not  able  in  the  years  past  to  send  doctors  into  Hab- 
assia,  because  the  Mohammedans  compassed  all,  and  left 
not  any  passage  to  them.  But  now  the  seas  are  open, 
he  can  do  that  which  he  could  not  do  before."  Liter. 
Gonzal.  Roder.  in  Godign.  de  llch.  Abass.  lib.  2.  cap. 
18.  As  if  Christ  had  set  either  the  pope  or  the  Abas- 
sines  an  impossible  task;  and  appointed  a  governor  that 
for  so  many  hundred  years  could  not  govern  :  or  the 
people  must  be  so  man}-  hundred  years  no  Christians, 
though  they  believed  in  Christ,  till  the  pope  could  send 
to  them  ?  and  how  should  those  and  all  such  countries 
send  prelates  to  a  general  council  1 

Canus  Loc.  Tlieol.  saith  of  the  Jesuits';  so  say  I  of 
your  new  church  ;  "  You  are  called  to  the  society  of 
Jesus  Christ,  which  society  being  undoubtedly  the  church 
of  Christ,  let  them  see  to  it,  that  arrogate  this  title  to 
themselves,  whether  they  do  not  imitate  heretics  by  a 
lying  affirmation  that  the  church  is  only  witli  them." 
Lib.  4.  c.  2. 

But  we  do  not  hence  conclude  that  all  that  have  lived 
and  died  in  your  profession,  have  been  no  members  of 
the  church,  because  your  church  is  guilty  of  heresy,  and 
notoriously  of  schism.  Millions  that  live  among  you 
consent  not  to  your  usurpations  ;  and  do  not  so  much 
as  understand  your  errors.  Some  hold  them  but  no- 
tionally  as  inelTectual  opinions.  Every  one  is  not  a 
heretic  that  holdeth  a  point  that  is  judged  heretical,  and 
which  is  heresy  in  another,  that   holdeth  it  in  another 


JUGGLING.  '247 

sort.  And  then;  arc  errors  callcil  heresies  \)y  most, 
wliich  are  not  destructive  to  the  essentials  of  Chris- 
tianity, hut  only  to  some  integral  j)art.  There  is  a 
schism  tliat  doth  not  unchurch  men,  as  well  as  a  schism 
that  doth.  But  your  own  writers  put  you  hard  to  it, 
who  conclude,  as  IJellarmin  and  many  more  do,  that 
heretics  and  schismatics  are  no  memhers  of  the  churcii. 
Melch.  Canus  hoc.  TlicoL  lib.  4.  cap.  2.  saith  ;  "  That 
heretics  are  no  |)art  of  the  church,  is  the  common  con- 
clusion of  all  divines;  not  only  of  those  that  have  writ- 
ten of  late,  hut  of  them  also  that  hy  their  antiquity  are 
esteemed  the  most  nohle  :  this  is  attested  hy  Cyprian 
Augustin,  Gregory,  the  two  councils  of  Lateraii  and 
Florence.  Rightly  therefore  did  Pope  Nicholas  define 
that  the  church  is  a  collection  of  catholics.  "  If  this  be 
true,  it  is  an  article  of  faith :  and  then  Alphonsus  a  Castro, 
and  all  of  his  mind  are  heretics  and  lost  men.  Two  ap- 
proved general  councils  have  determined  that  a  heretic 
is  no  member  of  the  church:  but  multitudes  of  your 
own  writers,  and  Pope  Adrian,  and  many  more  of  your 
popes  have  judged  that  a  pope  may  be  a  heretic  :  and 
consequently  no  member  of  the  church.  What  is  be- 
come of  your  church,  when  an  essential  part  of  it  is  no 
part  of  the  church  1 

Your  common  shift,  which  Canus  and  others  fl}'  to,  is, 
that  "he  must  be  a  judged  heretic  before  he  is  dismem- 
bered." But  that  is  for  manifestation  to  men;  before  God 
he  is  the  same,  if  men  never  judge  him.  Where  the 
case  is  notorious,  the  offender  is  cut  off.  Then  it  is  in 
the  pope's  power,  to  let  whole  millions  of  heretics  to  be 
still  parts  of  the  church  :  and  so  the  world  shall  be 
Christians  or  no  Christians  as  he  please.  And  why  may 
he  not  let  Turks  and  infidels  on  the  same  grounds  be 
part  of  the  church]  for  he  may  forbear  to  judge  them, 
if  that  will  serve.  Then  all  the  Christians  in  tlie  world 
that  the  pope  hath  not  yet  judged  and  cast  out,  are 
members  of  the  church.  Millions  thus  are  of  the  church 
that  never  were  subjects  of  the  pope.  If  you  say  it  is 
enough  that  there  is  a  general  condemnation,  of  all  that 
are  guilty  as  they  are  :  then  it  is  enough  to  cut  ofi'  a 
pope,  that  there  was  a  general  condemnation  against 
such  as  he  is. 


24S  JESUIT 

Two  or  three  councils  and  three  popes  did  all  judge 
Pope  Houorius  guilty  of  heresy,  and  consequently  both 
popes  and  general  councils  have  judged  that  a  pope  may 
be  an  heretic:  therefore  you  have  been  judged  hereti- 
cal in  your  head,  which  is  an  essential  part  of  your 
church. 

'  Thus  I  have  shewed  what  is  the  Romish  schism, 
which  being  but  a  part,  hath  attempted  to  cut  off  all 
the  rest,  and  so  hath  made  a  new  pretended  catholic 
church.  As  a  part  of  the  old  church  which  con- 
sisteth  of  all  Christians  united  in  Christ,  we  confess,  all 
those  still  to  be  a  part,  that  destroy  not  this  Christianity, 
but  as  you  are  new  gathered  to  a  Christ-representative, 
or  vicar  general,  we  deny  you  to  be  any  church  of  Christ. 
If  you  be  church  members^  or  saved,it  must  be  as  Chris- 
tians ;  but  never  as  Papists  :  for  a  Papist  may  be  a 
Christian,  but  not  as  a  Pap>ist. 

If  you  cannot  see  the  church  that  you  separate  from, 
open  your  eyes  and  look  into  much  of  Europe,  and  all 
over  Asia,  where  are  any  Christians:  look  into  Armenia, 
Palestine,  Egypt,  Ethiopia,  and  many  other  countries, 
and  you  shall  find  that  you  are  but  a  smaller  part  of  the 
church.  Antony  Marinarius  in  the  council  of  Trent 
complained  ;  "  That  the  church  is  shut  up  in  the  corners 
of  Europe,  and  yet  domestic  enemies  arise,  that  waste 
this  portion  shut  up  in  a  corner.  " 

Sonnius  of  Antwerp,  l>cwo?i.9^ra^.  Relig.  Christian, 
lib.  2.  Tract.  5.  c.  8,  saith  ;  "  I  pray  you  what  room 
hath  the  catholic  church  now  in  the  habitable  world  ? 
scarce  three  ells  long  in  comparison  of  that  vastncss 
which  the  Satanical  church  doth  possess." 

If  3'et  you  boast  tliat  3^ou  have  the  same  seat  that 
formerly  you  had:  I  answer  ;  so  have  the  bishops  of 
Constantinople,  Alexandria,  and  others  whom  you  con- 
demn. Gregory  Nazianz.  Orat.  dc  laud.  Athanasii, 
says  ;  "  It  is  a  succession  of  godliness  that  is  properly 
to  be  esteemed  a  succession.  For  he  that  professeth 
the  same  doctrine  of  faith,  is  also  partaker  of  the  same 
throne :  but  he  that  embraceth  the  contrary  belief, 
ought  to  be  judged  an  adversary  though  he  be  in  the 
throne.  This  indeed  hath  the  name  of  succession  ;  but 
the  other  hath   tiie  thintr  itself,   and   the    truth.       For 


JUGGLING. 


249 


he  that  brcakcth  in  hy  force,  as  ahiindanco  of  poj)f'.s  difl, 
is  not  to  be  cstcenied  a  successor;  hut  rather  lie  ihat 
sullereth  force  :  nor  he  that  breakctii  tlic  hiws  ;  but  lie 
that  is  chosen  in  maimer  agreeahli;  to  the  laws  :  nor  he 
tiiat  iiokleth  conlraiy  tenets;  but  lie  that  is  endued  with 
tiie  same  faith.  Unless  any  man  call  him  a  successor, 
as  we  say  a  sickness  succeedeth  health,  or  darkness 
succeedeth  lii,dit,  and  a  storm  succeds  a  calm,  or  mad- 
ness or  distraction  succeedeth  prudence.  " 

To  which  may  be  added  another  Papist  decision; 
"  Because  many  princes  and  chief  priests  or  popes  and 
other  inferiors,  have  been  found  to  apostatize,  the  church 
consisteth  in  those  persons  in  whom  is  the  true  knowl- 
edge and  confession  of  faith  and  verity."  Lijra  Gloss. 
MaUhcio  16. 


CHAPTER     XXVII. 

Succession  of  ('octfines. 

Another  of  their  deceits  is  this  :  I'o  charge  lis  with 
introducing  new  articles  of  faith  or  points  of  religion, 
hi  cause  ice  contradict  the  neto  articles  ichich  ihcj/  in- 
troduce, and  then  they  recjiiire  us  to  ijrove  our  doctrines 
inhirh  are  but  the  negatives  of  theirs. 

We  receive  no  doctrine  of  faith  or  worship  but  what 
was  delivered  by  the  apostles  to  the  church.  Those 
men  bring  in  abundance  of  new  ones,  and  say  without 
proof,  that  they  received  them  from  t.he  apostles.  And 
because  we  refuse  to  receive  their  novelties,  they  call  our 
rejections  of  them,  the  doctrines  of  our  religion;  and 
feign  us  to  be  the  innovators.  By  this  device,  it  is  in 
the  power  of  any  heretic  to  force  the  church  to  take  up 
new  points  of  faith.  If  a  Papist  shall  say,  that  besides 
the  Lord's  prayer,  Christ  gave  his  disciples  anotlier 
form,  or  two,  or  three,  or  many  ;  or  that  he  gave  them 
ten  new  commandments  not  mentioned  in  the  Bible  ;  or 
that  he  oft  descended  after  his  ascension,  and  conversed 
with  them  ;  or  that  Christ  instituted  twenty  sacraments, 
how  should  we  deal  with  those  men,  but  by  denying  their 


250  JESUIT 

fictions  as  sinful  novelty,  and  rejecting  them  as  corrupt 
additions  to  the  faith?  and  were  tliis  any  novelty  in  us? 
and  should  they  hid  us  prove  in  the  express  words  of 
Scripture  or  antiquity,  our  negative  propositions,  that 
Christ  gave  but  one  form  of  prayer,  that  he  did  not  oft 
descend,  that  he  gave  no  more  decalogues,  s?icraments, 
^c.  ?  Is  it  not  a  sufficient  proof  of  any  of  these,  that 
they  are  not  written  ;  and  that  no  tradition  of  them 
from  the  apostles  is  proved  ;  and  that  they  who  hold  the 
affirmative,  and  introduce  the  novelty,  must  prove,  and 
not  we  ?  Our  articles  of  faith  are  the  same,  and  not 
increased,  nor  any  new  ones  added  :  but  the  Papists 
come  in  with  a  new  faith,  as  large  as  all  the  novelties  in 
the  decretals  and  the  councils  :  and  those  innovations  of 
theirs  we  reject.  Now  our  rejections  do  not  increase 
the  articles  of  our  faith,  no  more  than  my  beating  a  dog 
out  of  my  house,  or  keeping  out  an  enemy,  or  sweeping 
out  the  filth,  doth  enlarge  my  house  or  increase  my  fam- 
ily. They  do  not  take  all  the  anathemas  and  rejections 
in  their  own  councils,  to  be  canons  or  articles  of  faith. 
The  pope  hath  made  it  an  ariicle  of  faith,  "  no  Scrip- 
ture is  to  be  interpreted  but  according  to  the  unanimous 
consent  of  the  fatliers.  "  This  we  reject  and  make  it 
no  article  of  our  faiih,  bu^t  an  erroneous  novelt}'.  Do  w^e 
hereby  make  a  new  article,  because  we  reject  a  new  one 
of  theirs  l  part  of  the  oath  made  bj/  Pope  Pius  after  the 
council  of  Trent.  If  this  be  an  article,  j)rove  it.  If  it  be  a 
truth  and  no  novelty,  which  be  fathers,  and  which  not? 
help  us  to  know  certainly,  when  we  have  all  or  the  unan- 
imous consent.  Then  tell  us,  whether  every  man  is  not 
forsworn  with  you,. that  interprets  any  text  of  Scripture 
before  he  have  read  all  the  fathers;  or  any  text  which 
they  do  not  unanimously  agree  on?  We  can  easily 
prove  to  you,  that  this  is  a  new  article  of  your  devising. 
Because  else  no  man  must  expound  any  Scripture  at  all 
before  those  fathers  were  born.  For  how  could  the 
church  before  them  have  their  unanimous  consent  l  oth- 
erwise those  fathers  themselves  wanted  an  article  of 
faith  ;  unless  it  was  an  article  to  them,  that  they  must 
expound  no  Scripture  but  by  their  own  consent.  Few 
of  those  fathers  ex[)ound  the  twentieth  part  of  the  Scrip- 
ture.    They  took  liberty  to  disagree  among  themselves, 


JUGGLING.  351 

and  thcrofoi'C  do  not  unanimously  consent  in  abundance 
of  particular  texts.  Tliey  tell  us  that  tliey  an;  fallihle, 
and  bid  us  not  take  it  on  their  trust.  The  apostles  have 
left  us  no  such  rule  or  |>recept,  hut  nuich  to  the  contrary. 
Your  own  doctors,  for  all  their  oath,  char<;<!  the  fathers 
with  error  and  niiscxpoundint]^  Scripture,  ('aims  and 
many  others  charge  Cajetan,  a  cardinal  and  |)illar  in 
your  church,  with  making  it  his  practice  to  difl'er  from 
the  fathers,  and  choosing  exjiositions  purposely  for  the 
novelty  ;  as  his  custom.  And  when  he  hath  highly  ex- 
tolled Cajetan,  Loc.  Thcol.  lib. 7.  he  adds;  *' yet  his 
doctrine  was  defiled  with  a  lej)rosy  of  errors,  by  an  af- 
fection and  lust  of  curiosity,  or  confidence  in  his  wit, 
expounding  Scripture  as  he  list ;  more  acutely  than 
happily  :  because  he  regarded  not  ancient  tradition,  and 
was  not  versed  in  the  reading  of  the  fathers,  and  would 
not  learn  from  them  the  mysteries  of  the  scaled  book." 
He  also  blames  him,  that  he  always  followed  the  Hebrew 
and  Greek  text.  Many  Papists  arc  blamed  for  the 
same  faults.  Andradius,  and  others  plead  for  it.  Yet 
those  men  are  counted  members  of  your  church,  that 
iro  against  an  article  of  your  new  faith  and  oath. 

Transubstantiation  is  one  of  your  new  articles  in  that 
oath.  Do  we  make  a  new  one  now  if  we  reject  it  ? 
Or  need  we  be  put  to  prove  the  negative  ?  Albertinus 
hath  done  it  unanswerably. 

Another  of  your  articles  is,  that  "it  belongeth  to 
your  holy  mother  the  church  to  judge  of  the  true  sense 
of  Scripture.  "  You  mean  the  Roman  church  ;  and  that 
they  must  judge  of  it  for  all  the  Christian  world.  Prove 
this  to  be  the  ancient  doctrine  if  you  can.  If  we  reject 
this  novelty,  are  we  innovators'?  or  need  we  prove  the 
negative?  yet  we  can  do  it.  Did  Athanasius,  Basil, 
Nazianzen,  Nyssen,  Augustin,  Jerom,  Chrysostom,  Ep- 
iphanius,  and  the  rest  of  the  fathers,  send  to  Rome  for 
the  sense  of  the  Scriptures  which  they  expound;  or  did 
they  procure  the  pope's  approbation  before  any  of  them 
published  their  commentaries  ? 

The  like  may  be  said  of  all  the  rest  of  yonr  new  ar- 
ticles, and  practices.  Some  of  your  novelties  we 
reject  as  trit!es,  some  as  smaller  errors,  and  some  as 
greater :  but  still  we  keep  to  our  ancient  faith,  of  which 


252  JESUIT 

the  Scripture  is  a  full  and  sufficient  rule,  as  Vineentius 
Lirinensis  saith,  though  we  are  glad  of  all  helps  to  un- 
derstand it.  We  say  with  Tertullian  de  came  Christie 
cap.  G.  "  Nothing  depends  upon  it,  because  Scripture 
does  not  exhibit  it. — They  prove  it  not,  because  it  is  not 
written. — Those  who  thus  argue  we  resist." 


CHAPTER     XXVIII. 

Popish  xcant  of  Chanty. 

Another  of  their  deceits  is  this:  They  take  ad- 
vantage of  our  chariiahle  judgment  of  the7n,  and  of 
their  uncharitahle  judgment  of  ns  and  all  other  Chris- 
tians., to  affright  and  inticc  people  to  their  sect.  They 
say,  that  we  cannot  be  saved,  nor  any  that  are  not  of 
the  Roman  church  :  but  we  say,  that  a  Papist  may  be 
saved.  They  say,  that  we  want  abundance  of  the  arti- 
cles of  faith  that  are  of  necessity  to  salvation.  We  say, 
that  the  Papists  hold  all  that  is  necessary  to  salvation. 
Luther  saith,  that  the  kernel  of  true  faith  is  yet  in  the 
church  of  Rome  ;  therefore  say  they,  let  Protestants 
take  the  shell.  Hence  they  make  the  simple  people 
believe,  that  even  according  to  our  own  confiessions, 
their  church  and  way  is  safer  than  ours. 

Vergerins  Opera,  page  230,  says  ;  "  That  great  good 
the  truth  doth  not  flow  from  the  Papac}',  but  from  the 
true  church  of  Christ  persecuted  by  Rome." 

1.  The  Papists'  denying  the  faith  and  salvation  of  all 
other  Christians  doth  not  invalidate  our  faith,  nor  shake 
our  salvation.  Our  religion  doth  not  cease  to  be  true, 
whenever  a  peevish  adversary  will  deny  or  accuse  it. 
Men  are  in  never  the  more  danger  of  damnation,  be- 
cause a  Papist  tells  them  that  they  shall  be  damned. 
W^e  believe  not  that  the  pope  hath  the  power  of  the  keys 
of  heaven,  that  he  can  keep  out  whom  he  please.  We 
have  a  promise  of  salvation  from  Christ,  and  we  can 
bear  the  threatening  of  a  pope.  When  Bellarmin  judged 
Pope  Sixtus  damned  himself,  it  is  strange  that  he  should 
have  a  power  before  to  dispose  of  heaven  to  others,  and 


JUGGLING.  '^53 

shut  out  whom  lie  pleased,  that  must  be  shut  out  lilm- 
self.  The  Novatiaus,  Donatists,  or  any  sect,  that  held 
the  substance  of  the  Christian  faith,  might  have  pleaded 
this  argument  as  well  as  the  Papists.  For  they  also 
have  the  courage  to  pass  the  sentence  of  damnation  upon 
others,  if  that  will  serve  turn:  and  we  have  the  charity 
to  say,  that  some  of  them  may  be  saved. 

2.  If  by  the  Papists'  own  confession,  charity  be  the 
life  of  all  the  graces  or  holy  qualities  of  the  soul,  and 
that  which  above  all  others  proveth  a  man  to  be  justified, 
and  in  a  state  of  salvation,  then  judge  by  this  argument 
of  their  own,  whether  our  charitableness  or  their  unchar- 
itableness  be  the  better  sign,  and  whether  it  be  safer  to 
join  with  the  charitable  or  the  uncharitable?  yea  with 
them  that  are  so  notoriously  uncharitable,  as  to  condemn 
the  far  greatest  part  of  the  church  of  Christ  merely  be- 
cause they  are  not  Papists  1 

3.  When  we  say,  that  a  Papist  may  be  saved,  it  is 
with  all  these  limitations  :  that  a  Papist  as  a  Christian 
may  be  saved,  but  not  as  a  Papist.  As  a  man  that 
hath  the  plague  may  live  ;  but  not  by  the  plague  ;  that 
Popery  is  a  great  enemy  and  hindrance  to  men's  salva- 
tion ;  and  therefore  that  those  among  them  that  are 
saved,  must  be  saved  from  Popery  and  not  h)/  it  ;  that 
therefore  salvation  is  a  rarer  thing  among  the  Papists, 
than  among  the  reformed  catholics.  Where  it  is  most 
difficult,  it  is  like  to  be  most  rare.  Many  more  of  the 
orthodox  are  likely  to  be  saved  than  of  the  Papists;  be- 
cause where  Popery  prevaileth  against  Christianity,  and 
so  much  mastereth  the  heart  and  life,  that  the  Christian 
doctrine  is  not  practically  received,  there  is  no  salvation 
to  be  had  for  such,  without  conversion.  Thus  is  it  that 
we  say  a  Papist  may  be  saved.  Hunnius  wrote  a  book 
to  prove  them  no  Christians,  and  Perkins  hath  written 
another  to  prove,  that  a  Papist  cannot  go  beyond  a  rep- 
robate. I  must  needs  say  so  too,  of  all  those  in  whom 
Popery  is  predominant  practically,  and  overcometh 
Christianity,  But  yet  I  doubt  not,  but  God  hath  thous- 
ands among  them  that  shall  be  saved  :  of  the  common 
people  that  are  forced  to  forbear  contradicting  the  priests, 
and  that  understand  not,  or  receive  not  all  the  mysteries 
of  their  deceit :  and   practically  give   themselves  to   a 

22 


254  JESUIT 

holy  life.  Though  I  have  known  none  such,  yet  when 
I  read  ihc  writings  of  Gerson,  Kenipis,  Thauler,  Ferus, 
Barbanson,  Benedictus,  Anglus,  Renty,  and  such  others; 
though  I  see  much  of  error,  and  mere  affectation;  yet 
I  am  easily  persuaded  to  believe,  that  they  had  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  that  there  are  many  more  such  among 
them.  But  I  should  be  sorry  if  holiness  were  not  much 
more  common  among  us,  and  freer  from  the  mixtures  of 
error  and  affectation. 

4.  For  our  saying,  that  they  have  the  kernel,  and  so 
much  as  is  necessary  to  salvation,  it  is  true,  but  ii  is  the 
same  kernel  that  we  hold,  and  we  have  it  undefilcd  and 
unpoisoned  ;  and  the  Papists  mix  it  with  the  venom  of 
their  errors.  He  that  hath  all  things  in  his  meat  and 
drink  that  I  have  in  mine,  may  yet  make  it  worse  than 
mine,  if  he  will  put  poison  in  it.  When  you  have  all 
things  necessary  in  a  precious  antidote  or  other  medicine, 
you  may  soon  mar  all,  by  putting  in  more  as  the  Pa- 
pists do. 

Christianity  is  enough  to  save  them  that  mar  it  not, 
but  keep  it  practically  and  predominantly.  Even  as  a 
man  that  takes  poison,  and  he  that  taketh  none,  are  both 
of  them  men;  and  he  that  takes  the  poison  may  be  said 
to  have  all  the  same  parts  and  members  as  the  other, 
and  yet  not  be  so  likely  to  live,  as  he  that  lets  it  alone  : 
and  I  cannot  say  but  many  that  take  it  may  recover  : 
and  if  you  ask  me  ;  which  be  they  ?  I  say,  all  tliose  that 
timely  cast  it  up  again,  or  else  whose  strength  of  nature 
prevaileth  against  it  and  keepeth  it  from  mastering  the 
heart  or  vital  powers,  shall  be  recovered  and  live  ;  but 
those  in  whom  the  poison  prevaileth  and  is  predominant, 
shall  die.  So  all  those  Papists  that  receive  the  errors 
of  Popery,  as  either  to  cast  them  up  again  ;  or  that  they 
are  not  predominant  to  the  subduing  of  the  power  of 
Christian  faith  and  holiness,  by  keeping  them  from  be- 
ing sincere,  and  practical,  and  predominant,  those  shall 
be  saved  but  not  the  rest. 

Now  if  upon  those  grounds,  an}-  man  shall  think  thai 
Popery  is  the  safer  way,  because  we  say,  that  they  have 
all  that  is  necessary  to  salvation,  objectively  in  their 
creed,  and  that  a  Papist  may  be  saved  ;  upon  the  same 
terms  that  man  may  be  persuaded  that  it  is  safer  taking 


JUGGLING.  255 

poison,  becauso  tliat  lio  liatlj  all  tlio  parts  of  a  man  that 
takes  it,  and  possihly  nature  may  prevail,  and  he  may 
live,     lint  yet  1  shall   let  the  poison  alone. 

5.  Papists  that  say,  that  a  Protestant  cannot  he  saved, 
do  yet  maintain  that  an  inlidel  may  be  saved,  or  one 
that  hclicveth  not  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith* 
Vou  will  think  this  strange.  But  I  insist  on  the  i)roof 
of  it,  to  the  uses,  that  3'oii  may  see,  that  their  censures 
proceed  from  mere  design  or  partiality;  that  they  make 
believing  in  the  pope  to  be  more  necessary  than  believ- 
ing in  Christ,  or  in  the  Holy  Ghost',  how  holy  their 
church  is  that  admitteth  of  infidels  ; — on  what  grounds 
they  deny,  that  we  may  be  one  catholic  church  with  the 
fathers,  Greeks,  Egyptians,  Abassines,  Armenians,  Wal- 
denscs,  <fec.  because  of  son)e  diftcrences ;  when  yet  they 
themselves  can  be  one  church  with  inlidels,  or  such  as 
deny  the  articles  of  the  creed,  or  at  least  believe  them 
not ;  and  how  well  their  religion  hangs  together,  and 
also  how  well  they  are  agreed  among  themselves,  even 
abont  the  essentials  of  Christianity  itself,  whether  they 
be  of  necessity  to  salvation  or  not. 

Franc,  a  Scuicta  Clara  in  his  Deus,  Natura,  Gra- 
iia,  Problem.  15,  et  16,  tells  us  ;  "  The  doctors  com- 
monly teach,  that  a  just  and  probable  ignorance  ought  to 
excuse  :  and  that,  it  is  probable,  when  one  hath  a  prob- 
able foundation  or  ground.  As  a  countryman,  when  he 
believes  that  a  thing  is  lawful,  drawn  by  the  testimony  of 
his  parish  priest  or  parents:  or  when  a  man  seeing  rea- 
sons that  are  probable  on  both  sides,  doth  choose  those 
which  seem  to  him  the  more  probable;  which  yet  indeed 
are  against  the  truth,  to  which  he  is  otherwise  well  af- 
fected. In  this  case  he  erreth  without  fault,  though  he 
err  against  the  truth,  and  so  labor  of  the  contrary  igno- 
rance. Hither  is  it  to  be  reduced,  when  the  articles  of 
iaith  are  not  propounded  in  a  due  manner ;  as  by  fri- 
volous reasons,  or  by  impious  men  :  for  then  to  believe, 
were  an  act  of   imprudence,  saith  Aquinas  L.  2.  q.  1. 

415 

So  that  if  the  truth  of  Scripture  be  so  propounded  as 
to  seem  most  improbable,  it  is  no  sin  to  disbelieve  it : 
and  if  such  are  excused,  as  by  a  parent  or  parish  priest 
are  seduced,  and  that  have  not  a  due   proposal  of  the 


256  JESUIT 

truth  ;  then  it  must  follow,  that  the  heathens  and  infidels 
are  innocent,  that  never  had  Christ  proposed  any  way 
to  them,  and  by  iheir  parents  have  been  taught  Mo- 
hammedanism, or  Paganism.  But  I  can  prove,  that  even 
the  want  of  a  due  proposal  is  a  punishment  for  their  sin? 
and  that  they  ought  themselves  to  seek  after  the  truth  ? 
and  that  it  is  of  "their  own  sins  that  necessary  truths  do 
seem  improbable  to  them?  will  sin  excuse  sin? 

He  alsotelleth  us;  "As  to  the  ignorance  of  things  ne- 
cessary as  means  to  salvation,  the  doctors  diflcr:  for  Soto 
4.  d.  5.  q.  5 ;  and  lib.  do  natur.  ct  grat,  c.  12 ;  and  Vega  1.  6, 
c.  20.  will  have  no  more   explicit  faith  required  now  in 
the  law  of  erace,  than  in  the  law  of  nature.      Vega  and 
Gabriel  (1.21.  qu.  2,  art.  3.  and  3.  d.  21.  qu.  2.  think  ; 
that  in  the  law  of  nature,  and  in  many  cases,  in  the  law 
of  grace,  a  man  may  be  saved  witii  only  natural  know- 
ledge, and  that  the  habit  of  faith  is  not  required.     Hor- 
antius,  being  of  the  contrary  opinion,  saith,  that  they  are 
men  of  great  name  that  are   against  him,  whose  gravity 
and  great  and  painful  studies  moved  him,  not  to  condemn 
tiiem  of  heresy,  in  a  doubtful  matter  not  yet  judged."  O 
happy  Rome  that  hath  a  judge  that  can  put  an  end  to 
all  tlieiv   controversies  1     And   yet    cannot    determine 
whether  it  be  necessary  to  salvation  to  be  a  Christian  ! 
Alvarez    de   Auxil.   disp.   56,  with   others,  seems  to 
hold,  that  to  justification  is  not  required  the  knowledge  of 
a  supernatural   object  at   all.     Others   say  that  both  to 
grace  and  to  glory  an  explicit  faith  in  Christ  is  necessa- 
ry, Bonavent.  3.  d.  25.     Others  say  that  to  salvation  at 
least  an  explicit  faith  in  the  Gospel,  or  Christ  is  requir- 
ed,  though  not  to  grace    or  justification.     And   this  is 
the   commoner  in  the  schools,  as  Herera   declared   and 
followeth  it. 

Clara  saith;  I  take  Scotus  to  be  of  that  opinion,  that 
it  is  not  necessary  as  a  means  to  grace  or  glory  to  have 
an  explicit  belief  of  Christ  or  the  Gospel;  as  he  seems 
at  large  to  prove.     Lib.  4.  Dist.  3.  Quest.  4. 

What  is  clearer,  than  that  at  this  day,  the  Gospel 
bindeth  not,  where  it  is  not  authentically  preached  ;  that 
is,  tliat  at  this  day  men  may  be  saved  without  an  ex- 
plicit belief  of  Christ :  for  in  that  sense  speaks  the  doc- 
tor concerning  the  Jews.     And  verily,  whatever  Scotus 


JUGGLING.  257 

hold  witli  liis  wicked  master  ITerera,  I  tliink  tliat  tliis 
was  the  opinion  of  Scotus,  and  tlie  coniujon  one;  which 
also  Vega  a  faithful  iScoiist  Iblloweth  ;  and  Faher  4.  d.  3, 
Petigianis  3.  d,  25.  q.  1,  and  of  the  Thoniists,  Bannes, 
22.  q.  2,  a  8.  Canus  and  others. 

He  also  gathers  it  to  be  the  mind  of  the  council  of 
Trent,  Ses.  6.  caj).  4.  It  is  eflectually  proved  by  the 
doctor,  from  John  xv.  If  1  had  not  come  and  spoke  to 
them,  they  had  not  had  sin.  I  know  the  doctors  of  the 
contrary  opinion  answer,  that  such  are  not  condemned 
for  tlie  sin  of  infidelity  jirecisely,  but  lor  other  sins  that 
hinder  the  illumination  and  special  hel[)  of  God.  But 
verily  the  doctor  there  argueth,  that  the  Jews  might  by 
circumcision  be  cleansed  from  original  sin,  and  saved 
without  the  Gospel:  and  accordingly  he  may  argue,  as 
to  all  otliers  to  vv'hom  the  Gospel  is  not  authentically 
promulgated  :  else  his  reason  would  not  hold.  Corduba 
I.  2.  qu.  Thcol.  q.  5,  subscribes  to  this  opinion,  saying 
— since  the  promulgation  of  the  Gospel,  an  explicit 
belief  of  Christ  is  ncessary  :  except  with  the  invincibly 
ignorant,  to  whom  an  implicit  sufficethto  the  life  of  grace  : 
but  wOiether  it  suffice  to  the  life  of  glory,  is  a  pro- 
blem ;  but  it  is  more  probable  that  here  also  an  implicit 
sufticeth.  To  which  opinion  consent  both  Medina  clt 
recta  in  Deum  Jidc,  lib.  4.  cap.  idt.  and  Bradwardin 
fol.  62,  that  an  implicit  belief  of  Christ  is  sufficient  to 
salvation. 

Clara  also  saitli ;  "  this  is  the  way  to  end  the  debates 
of  them  that  think  ihe  articles  of  the  trinity,  of  Christ,  of 
the  incarnation,  «fcc.  are  neccessary  to  salvation,  though 
not  to  justification:  and  answering  them,  he  saith  that 
such  are  not  formally  without  the  church.  You  see  then 
formally,  infidels  are  in  their  church,  and  maybe  saved, 
in  his  opinion. 

After  a  blow  at  Vellosillus,  he  citeth  also  Victoria 
Relict.  4.  dc  Indis.  et  Richard,  de  Med.  Villa,  3.  25 
ait.  3.  qu.  1  ;  and  others  for  this  opinion:  and  tells  you 
what  his  implicit  fahh  is;  "to  believe  as  the  church  be- 
lieveth." 

From  Scotus  he  answers  the  question,  whether  such 
persons  may  hold  the  contrary  error  to  the  truth  that 
they  are  itrnorant  of?  and  saith,  No;  while  it  is  preach- 

2-2* 


258  JESUIT 

ed  but  in  some  one  place :  till  he  know  it  to  be  believed 
as  a  truth  by  the  church,  and  then  he  must  firmly  ad- 
here to  it.  Which  the  charitable  friar  applieth  to  Eng- 
land, as  excusable  for  not  beleiving  some  of  their  arti- 
cles. And  he  citcth  Petigianis  saying  ;  "  If  a  simple 
old  woman  shall  hear  a  false  opinion  from  a  false  prophet, 
as  that  the  substance  of  the  bread  remains  with  Christ's 
body  in  the  Eucharist,  and  believe  it:  doth  she  sin  be- 
cause of  this  ?  No  ;  this  were  to'o  hard  and  cruel  to  af- 
firm." 

He  citeth  Anglus,  and  agreeth  with  him,  that,  "such 
as  have  no  knowledge  of  those  things  to  stir  them  up, 
are  not  bound  so  much  as  to  seek  information." 

Vega  lib.  6.  cap.  18,  says  ;  that  as  ignorance  of  pure 
denial  about  many  articles  of  faith  may  be  without  fault: 
so  there  is  the  same  reason  of  ignorance  from  depraved  dis- 
positions. Which  he  maintains  against  Gerson  and 
Hugo.  Clara  adds  ;  "  To  speak  my  sense  freely,  I 
think  that  the  common  people  committing  themselvs  to 
the  instruction  of  the  pastois,  trusting  their  knowledge 
and  goodness,  if  they  be  deceived,  it  shall  be  accounted 
invincible  ignorance,  or  probable  at  least :  so  Herera  : 
which  excuseih  from  fault.  Yea  some  doctors  give  so 
much  to  the  instruction  of  doctors  on  whom  the  care  of 
the  flock  lieth,  that  if  they  teach  that  God  should  be 
hated,  a  rude  parishioner  is  bound  to  believe  them. 
Whence  he  concludeth,  that  he  hopeth  many  of  us  are 
saved;  to  which  he  citeth  the  consent  of  Azorius,  To, 
1.  I.  8.  fust.  c.  6,  and  Corduba.  He  also  says ;  "  It 
seemcth  to  be  the  common  opinion  of  the  schools  and 
doctors  at  this  day,  that  the  laity,  erring  with  their  teach- 
ers or  pastors,  are  altogether  excused  from  fault:  yea  by 
erring  thus  many  ways  materially,  they  merit,  for  the 
act  of  Christian  obedience,  which  they  owe  their  teach- 
ers, as  Valentia  saith  ;  To?)i  3.  disp.  1.  q.  2.  Anglus, 
Vasquez^  S^^c. 

Cajetan  cites  Zanchez,  teaching ;  that  those  that  are 
brought  up  among  heretics  are  not  to  be  accounted  he- 
retics, till  they  refuse  belief  sufficiently  propounded  to 
them.  Alph.  a  Castro,  Simancha,  Arragon,  Tanner, 
and  Faber  say  the  same. 

Eman.  Sa,  affirms  ;  *'  even  among  catholics  many  are 


juaoLiNo.  259 

excused  from  the  explicit  knowledge  of  the  trinity  and 
incarnation,  specially  if  there  want  a  teacher.  For 
what  !  shall  we  say  that  an  infinite  nuinher  of  Christians, 
otherwise  good  people,  perish,  that  scarce  know  any 
thing  aright  of  the  mystery  of  the  trinity  and  incarnation  ; 
yea  judge  j)erversly  or  falsely  of  them,  if  you  ask  them? 
Rozella  and  Medina  are  of  the  same  mind  ;  and  N'alcn- 
tia  Anal  if  s.  fid.  lib.  2.  cap.  3.  lit.  D. 

In  the  sixteenth  problem  he  puts  another  question, 
whether  the  law  of  nature  and  the  decalogue  may  be  un- 
known without  fault?  to  which  he  answers;  that  though 
"Alex.  Ales  says,  no  :  yet  it  is  the  common  and  receiv- 
ed o[)inion,  citing  Adrian,  Corduba,  llerera,  and  others, 
that  there  may  be  such  invincible  ignorance  in  respect 
of  the  law  of  nature  and  the  decalogue." 

That  which  they  call  an  implicit  faith  in  Christ  is  no 
actual  faith  in  Christ  at  all.  lie  that  onl^^  believes  as 
the  church  believes,  and  knows  not  that  the  church  be- 
lieves in  Christ,  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  &c.,  hath 
no  actual  belief  in  Christ  or  the  resurrection  at  all.  If 
I  believe,  that  one  of  you  is  true  in  his  word  ;  it  doth 
not  follow,  that  I  actually  believe  the  particular  propo- 
sitions which  I  never  heard.  That  which  they  call  an 
implicit  belief,  is  nothing  but  the  explicit  actual  belief 
of  the  formal  object  of  faith,  divine  or  human  ;  as  that 
God  is  true,  or  the  church  true  and  infallible  ;  but  it  is 
no  belief  at  all  of  the  particular  material  object. 

Every  one  in  the  world  that  believeth  that  there  is  a 
God,  must  needs  believe  that  he  is  no  liar ;  and  so  hath 
in  God  an  implicit  belief.  Now  if  this  will  save  men, 
without  a  particular  belief  in  Christ,  then  Christianity  is 
not  necessary.  Every  Turk,  and  Jew,  and  infidel  that 
beHeveth  in  God,  may  then  be  said  to  have  an  implicit 
faith  in  Christ,  in  the  Popish  language  ;  because  he  be- 
lieveth all  that  God  revealeth  to  be  true  :  but  if  an  im- 
plicit faith  in  God  will  not  serve,  how  should  an  implicit 
faith  in  the  church  serve  ;  unless  the  church,  that  is  the 
pope,  be  better  than  God. 

By  a  general  council  and  the  pope  it  is  determined 
that  no  man  can  be  saved  out  of  their  church,  as  headed 
bv  the  pope.  To  believe  in  the  pope  is  of  necessity  to 
salvation  ;  bnt  to  believe    in   Christ,  in  his  incarnation, 


260  JESUIT 

death,  resurrection,  is  not  so.  An  implicit  faith  in  the 
pope  or  church,  yea  or  erring  doctors  may  save,  and 
men  may  merit  by  following  them  in  error :  but  an  im- 
plicit faith  in  God  himself  will  not  save,  if  we  believe 
not  in  the  pope.  So  that  if  we  were  infidels  we  might 
be  saved,  if  we  were  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  be- 
lieved in  the  pope  :  but  the  holiest  Christian  that  be- 
lieveth  explicitly  in  God  and  all  the  articles  of  faith,  can- 
not be  saved,  if  he  believe  not  in  the  pope.  Do  you 
tliink  they  believe  those  doctrines  themselves  ?  or  rather 
frame  them  to  the  building  of  their  kingdom? 

What  a  wonder  is  it  that  learned  doctors  see  not  their 
own  contradiction?  They  suppose  a  man  to  believe  in 
the  pope,  or  as  the  church  believeth,  and  yet  not  to  be- 
lieve in  Christ!  and  is  not  the  church  essentially  a  com- 
pany of  Christians  ;  the  spouse,  and  body,  and  school, 
and  kingdom  of  Christ?  and  is  not  the  pope  essentially 
the  pretended  vicar  of  Christ.  How  then  can  they  be- 
lieve in  Christ's  vicar,  or  Christ's  school,  or  kingdom,  or 
followers,  before,  they  believe  in  Christ  himself  ( 

By  all  this  you  may  perceive  the  holiness  of  the  Ro- 
man cimrch,  and  the  nature  of  that  discipline  or  church 
government  that  all  the  world  must  needs  submit  to,  or  be 
damned.  Even  such  as  takes  in  infidels  and  all,  and 
layeth  the  church  as  common  to  the  world,  for  as  many 
as  will  but  believe  in  the  pope  and  his  priests. 

You  see  here  also  another  mystery  opened :  that  a 
man  may  have  enough  to  justify  him,  that  yet  will  not 
save  him.  For  most  of  them  are  here  said  to  hold  that 
a  man  may  be  justified  without  an  explicit  faith  in  Christ, 
or  that  the  knowledge  of  Christ  is  not  necessary  to  his 
justification,  but  to  his  salvation  it  is:  though  tlie  other 
half  say  that  it  is  necessary  to  neither.  If  a  man  die 
in  a  justified  state,  must  he  be  condemned?  When  Paul 
saith,  Rom.  8.  30.  Whom  he  justified  them  he  also  glo- 
rified ? 

You  see  also  here  what  their  baptism  doth,  that  can 
ex  nperc  opcrato  infallibly  put  away  the  sins  of  all  those 
infidels,  and  so  the  Eucharist,  &.c.  And  yet  they  must 
not  be  saved  although  their  sins  are  all  done  away.  O 
what  a  maze  is  the  Romisli  divinity  !  you  see  how  well 
they  are  agreed  about  those  fundamentals,  when  half  of 


JUGGLING.  261 

them  tliinlt,  that  "  actual  heliof  in  Christ  is  nccessnry  to 
salvation,  and  not  to  jiistilication  :  and  others  that  it  is 
noccssarv  to  hoth  :  and  a  greater  part  that  it  is  necessa- 
ry to  neither."  You  also  see  here  the  henclU  of  hav- 
ing an  infallihle  living  judge  of  controversies,  and  ex- 
pounder of  Scriptures  :  and  how  adniirahly  he  hath  end- 
ed all  their  dift'erences. 

If  formally  those  unhelievers  arc  in  their  catholic 
church  ;  then  the  Cireeks  and  other  Eastern  and  South- 
ern Christians  arc  in  the  same  catholic  church  as  we  arc, 
when  we  difler  not  so  much. 

When  they  have  made  the  non-belief  of  articles  of 
the  faith  consistent  with  salvation ;  they  will  never  while 
they  breathe  be  able  to  confute  him  that  on  the  same 
grounds  afHrmeth  the  contrary  belief  consistent  with 
salvation,  in  the  case  of  the  same  want  of  teaching  and 
sufficient  means. 

You  see  therefore  of  how  small  moment  the  Popish 
censures  are,  when  tliey  judge  that  a  Protestant  cannot 
be  saved. 

Clara  judgeth  otherwise.  But  his  book  was  burnt 
or  condemned  at  RciK'  for  it ;  and  thereby  proveth  him- 
self a  heretic,  seeing  a  geneial  council  and  pope  have 
determined  the  contrary,  even  that  it  is  necessary  to  sal- 
vation to  be  a  subject  of  the  Pope  of  Rome. 


CHAPTER     XXIX. 

Popery  encourages  human  depravihj. 

Another  of  their  deceits,  and  the  most  successful  of 
all  the  rest  is  this  ;  They  suit  their  doctrines  and  gov- 
ernment and  worship  to  the  fleshly  hiimors  of  the  ungod- 
ly :  by  which  means  the  greatest  and  the  most  arc  al- 
ways on  their  side.  Our  doctrine,  discipline  and  wor- 
ship are  all  so  contrary  to  carnal  interest  and  conceits, 
that  w^e  are  still  likely  to  lose  the  most  and  the  greatest 
and  consequently  to  be  a  persecuted  people  in  the  world. 
This  is  their  unanswerable  argument.  By  this  means 
they  captivate  the  nations  to  their  tyranny.     The  most 


f 


262  JESUIT 

are  every  where  sensual,  worldly  and  unsanctified.  Wise 
men  and  godly  men  are  few  in  comparison  of  the  rest  of 
the  world.  It  is  the  multitude  commonly  who  have  the 
strength,  and  the  great  ones  who  have  the  wealtji.  So 
that  I  take  it  for  a  wonder  of  mercy,  that  they  are  not 
lords  in  every  country,  that  the  reformed  catholics  be 
not  used  every  where  as  they  be  in  Spain  in  Italy.  For 
where  they  have  but  opportunity  to  shew  themselves, 
the  principles  and  practices  of  the  Papists  are  such,  as 
will  be  most  likely  to  win  the  rabble  rout  to  them,  and 
make  them  masters  of  the  multitude,  and  of  all  except 
a  few  believing  heavenly  persons :  for  the  flock  is  little 
that  must  have  the  kingdom.  Then,  when  they  have 
got  the  multitude  thus  to  follow  them,  and  clubbed  the 
rest  into  prisons,  or  burned  them  in  the  flames,  they 
reckon  that  as  one  of  the  surest  evidences  that  they  are 
the  catholic  church ;  because  forsooth  they  are  the 
greater  number  in  the  countries  where  they  have  ad- 
vantage, and  it  is  but  a  few  whom  they  were  able  to 
persecute  or  burn  as  heretics  that  were  against  them. 
The  very  argument  of  the  Jews  against  Christ  and  his 
disciples. 

The  reasons  why  they  have  not  by  this  policy  won 
the  Christian  world  to  thcii-  side,  under  God  the  great 
defender  of  the  innocent,  are  these  :  Because  in  the 
Eastern  and  Southern  churches  they  have  not  had  op- 
portunity to  lay  their  snares,  as  the}'  have  had  here  in 
the  West:  and  also  those  churciies  have  too  many  cor- 
ruptions and  neglects  at  home  for  the  gratifying  of  the 
worse  sort.  Because  God  hath  been  pleased  in  some 
places  to  bless  the  endeavors  of  the  smaller  part,  as  to 
enable  them  against  the  multitude  to  preserve  some  lib- 
erty. Because  God  hath  sometimes  given  wise  and  godl}' 
princes  to  the  people,  that  will  not  be  cheated  with  the 
popular  decehs.  And  because  the  papal  tyramn-  is  di- 
rectly contrary  to  the  rights  of  princes,  so  that  it  is  only 
those  that  are  hlinded  by  ignorance,  or  strengthened  by 
an  extraordinary  league  with  Rome,  or  forced  by  the 
multitude  of  popish  subjects  and  neighbors,  that  put 
their  necks  into  the  Romish  yoke.  For  by  the  popes 
pretended  power  in  temporals,  and  by  his  excommunica- 
ting princes,  and  his  pretended  power  to  depose  them. 


JUGGLING.  JiCS 

and  give  their  kiiigdoins  to  otliors,  so  as  to  alisolvc  their 
subjects  from  tlier  ojiths  and  fidelity,  whirli  is  an  article 
of  their  faith  agreed  on  by  the  pope  and  general  coun- 
cil, Later,  sub.  Innuc.  S.  cap.  3:  and  by  ids  exempting 
the  clergy  from  their  princes'  j)o\ver;  aiid  by  the  pillag- 
ing their  countries  for  money  ;  and  by  their  doctrine 
and  practices  of  murdering  princes  who  are  not  of  their 
mind:  and  by  other  evidences,  they  have  awakened 
many  of  the  princes  of  the  earth  to  look  about  them, 
and  consequently  to  befriend  the  truth  against  those 
tyrannous  usur^  ers.  Had  it  not  been  for  those  helps 
under  God,  wc  should  not  have  had  liberty  to  breath  in 
the  common  air. 

That  all  the  doctrines,  government,  and  worship  of 
the  papists  are  suited  to  the  humor  and  sensual  multi- 
tude, and  fitted  to  take  with  ungodly  men,  I  shall  prove 
in  twenty  particulars. 

1.  The  reformed  catholics  hold,  that  none  should  be 
taken  into  the  church,  unless  they  make  profession  of 
the  Christian  faith,  and  of  an  holy  life,  for  the  time  to 
come,  and  seem  to  understand  what  they  say  and  do, 
and  be  serious  in  it ;  which  exasporateth  the  grossly 
ignorant  and  ungodly,  when  we  deny  them  this  privi- 
ledge  of  believers.  But  the  Papists  admit  of  the  igno- 
rant ungodly,  and  such  as  believe  not  in  Christ,  and  fill 
their  antichristian  community. 

2.  The  orthodox  hold,  that  Baptism  seals  remission 
of  sin  to  none  but  true  believers  and  their  seed.  The 
Papists  persuade  sinners  that  all  their  sins  are  not  only 
pardoned,  but  actually  abolished,  ex  opere  operato 
in  baptism  ;  which  is  comfortable  news  to  such  ungodly 
souls. 

3.  Protestants  say,  that  original  sin  liveth  after  bap- 
tism in  some  degree  ;  though  it  reign  not,  or  condemn 
not  those  that  arc  true  believers  ;  and  that  concupis- 
cence, that  is,  all  inordinacy  of  the  sensual  appetite, 
or  inordinate  inclination  to  sensual  objects,  is  a  sin. 
The  Papists  tell  them  that  when  once  they  are  baptised, 
there  is  no  such  thing  in  them  as  original  sin,  and  that 
concupiscence  is  no  sin  at  all. 

4.  The  orthodox  hold,  that  none  are  to  be  admitted  to  the 
eucharist,  and   communion  of  the  church   therein,  but 


264  JESUIT 

those  that  believe  actually,  or  profess  so  to  do,  the  arti- 
cles of  faith,  and  understand  the  nature  of  the  sc\crament, 
and  live  according  to  the  law  of  Chtist.  But  the  Papists 
give  it  to  all,  and  drive  men  to  the  sacrament;  so  that 
Albaspinfcus  saith,  he  knows  not  whether  ever  any  one 
was  kept  away  in  his  age. 

5.  Protestants  hold,  that  men  are  not  to  be  let  alone 
in  scandalous  sin  ;  but  admonished  privately,  and  then 
openly  before  the  church,  and  if  yet  they  repent  not,  to 
be  cast  out;  and  not  to  be  absolved  or  re-admitted, 
without  a  public  confession  and  penitence  answerable 
to  the  sin:  and  this  wicked  people  hate  at  their  very 
heart,  and  will  not  endure.  But  the  Papists  have  got  a 
device  to  please  them,  by  auricular  secret  confession  to 
a  priest,  where  if  he  will  but  confess  and  sin,  and  sin  and 
confess  again,  he  may  have  pardon  of  course  without 
any  open  shame  or  true  reformation.  If  we  durst  but 
imitate  the  Papists  in  this  one  particular,  we  should  do 
much  to  please  the  people  that  are  now  exasperated  :  for 
almost  any  of  them  will  confess  in  secret  that  they  have 
sinned,  that  will  not  endure  the  open  shame. 

6.  Protestants  hold,  that  every  sin  deserveth  death, 
and  that  every  breach  of  the  law  is  such  a  sin ;  though 
God  will  not  inllict  the  punishment  on  them  that  liave  a 
pardon.  But  the  Papists  tell  us  of  a  multitude  of  sins  that 
are  but  venial,  that  is,  sins  that  deserve  pardon,  and  not 
hell,  and  are  indeed  no  sins,  but  analogically  so  called. 
And  they  make  those  to  be  venial  sins,  which  are  prop- 
erly no  sins  :  all  sins  that  are  not  deliberated  on,  are 
with  them  but  venial  sins.  So  that  if  they  will  but 
sufficiently  brutify  themselves  by  suspending  the  exer- 
cise of  reason,  and  will  swear,  curse,  murder,  without 
deliberation,  they  are  then  free  from  sin  and  danger. 
How  easy  and  pleasing  is  this  to  the  ungodly  ?  Those  are 
but  evangelical  counsels  with  the  Papists,  that  are  the 
precepts  or  laws  of  Christ  to  the  Protestants. 

7.  Protestants  teach  men  that  it  is  their  duty  to  seek 
the  understanding  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  to  medi- 
tate in  it  day  and  night.  But  Papists  forbid  the  com- 
mon people  to  read  it  in  a  language  which  they  under- 
stand, and  save  them  all  that  labor  that  Protestants  put 
them  on.  Nothing  can  win  the  people  more  than 
cherishing  them  thus  in  sloth  and  ignorance. 


JUGGLING.  205 

8.  Protestants  say,  that  a  man  cannot  be  justified  or 
saved  without  actual  fuith  in  Clirist,  and  that  tiiis  laith 
must  extend  to  all  things  that  are  essential  to  Christian- 
ity. But  Papists  atVuni  the  justification  and  salvation 
of  infidels,  if  they  believe  in  the  pope.  A  comfortable 
doctrine  to  the  unbelieving  world,  to  whom  God  hath 
spoken  no  such  comfort. 

We  confess  that  those  that  never  had  the  Gospel, 
are  under  the  law  of  nature  or  works,  and  under  such  a 
law  of  grace  as  was  made  to  Adam  and  Noah  in  the 
substance,  as  to  the  obligation  and  the  ofl'ers  of  it,  and 
that  by  such  a  law  they  shall  be  judged,  but  of  the  jus- 
tification of  Christians  we  have  clear  and  certain  prom- 
ises. 

9.  Protestants  say,  tbat  all  our  best  works  are  imperfect, 
and  the  sin  that  adhereth  to  them  deserves  God's  wrath, 
according  to  the  law  of  works,  though  he  pardon  it  by 
the  law  of  grace,  and  that  when  we  have  done  all  we 
are  unprofitable  servants,  and  properly  merit  nothing  of 
God,  for  the  worth  of  our  works  or  in  commutative  jus- 
tice- But  the  Papists  take  those  very  works  to  merit 
heaven  ex  Condigno  ;  and  some  of  them,  say  by  tht 
proportion  of  the  work  and  in  commutative  justice ; 
which  the  Protestants  declare,  deserve  damnation  for 
their  sinful  imperfections,  and  therefore  need  a  pardon 
through  the  blood  of  Christ.  Yet  they  take  those  works 
to  be  perfect,  and  the  man  to  be  perfect,  and  say,  that  by 
such  works  as  those,  they  may  merit  for  others  as  well 
as  for  themselves.  How  easy  and  pleasing  is  this  to 
proud  corrupted  nature  1 

10.  Protectants  think,  that  no  faith  justifieth  :  but 
that  which  is  accompanied  with  unfeigned  love  and 
resolution  for  obedience.  But  the  Papists  make  a  faith 
that  is  separated  from  charity,  and  joined  with  attrition, 
to  be  sufficient  for  admission  t)  the  sacrament,  which 
shall  be  instead  of  love  or  contrition,  and  so  shall  put 
away  all  sin. 

11.  Protestants  knowing  that  God  is  a  spirit,  and 
will  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  teach  people 
a  spiritual  way  of  worship,  to  which  carnal  men  are 
indisposed.  But  Papists  accommodate  them  with  a 
multitude  of  ceremonies,  images,  and  a  pompous  his- 

23' 


266  JESUIT 

trionical  kind  of  worship,  which  is  easy  and  pleasant 
to  flesh  and  blood.  To  have  an  image  before  them, 
and  copes,  and  ornaments,  and  abundance  of  formali- 
ties, and  to  drop  so  many  beads,  and  be  saved  for  say- 
ing over  so  many  Ave  Maries,  or  such  like  words ; 
what  an  easy  kind  of  religion  is  that,  and  how  agreea- 
ble to  flesh  and  blood?  how  much  easier  is  it  to  say 
over  their  offices  than  to  love  God  above  all,  and  desire 
communion  with  him  in  the  spirit,  and  to  delight 
in  him,  and  to  pray  in  faith,  and  heavenly  fervor  ? 

12.  Protestants  tell  men  of  hell-fire,  as  the  remedi- 
less punishment  of  those  sins,  which  Papists  say  deserve 
but  a  purgatory  :  and  they  have  hope  of  coming  out  of 
purgatory,  but  there  is  none  of  coming  out  of  hell. 

13.  Protestants  tell  them  of  no  hope  of  ease  or  par- 
don of  sin  after  this  life,  if  it  be  not  pardoned  here. 
But  Papists  tell  them,  that  when  they  are  in  purgatory 
the  pope  hath  power  to  pardon  them,  and  the  saying  of 
so  many  masses  for  their  souls  may  ease  them  or  rid 
them  out,  and  the  merits  of  other  folks  may  deliver 
them. 

14.  Protestants  tell  them,  that  they  must  be  holy  for 
themselves.  But  Papists  tell  them,  that  they  may  hire 
another  man  to  say  their  prayers  for  them,  which  may 
serve  their  turn. 

15.  Protestants  ingenuously  confess,  that  they  have 
no  way  to  end  all  controversies  in  this  life :  but  that 
we  have  a  sufficient  way  so  far  to  decide  them,  as  is 
necessary  to  the  peace  of  the  soul,  of  the  church,  and 
of  the  commonwealth;  but  no  way  for  a  final  absolute 
decision,  till  the  day  of  judgment.  Pastors  of  the 
church  are  to  be  judges,  so  far  as  they  are  to  execute  : 
and  Magistrates  are  to  be  judges,  so  far  as  they 
must  execute;  and  every  christian  hath  a  judgment  of 
discerning,  so  far  as  he  is  to  execute :  but  the  absolute 
final  judgment  is  reserved  to  the  last  day,  when  God 
■will  fully  end  all  our  controversies.  That  satisfieth  not 
men  who  would  have  all  in  hand,  and  the  sentence 
past  before  the  assizes.  Therefore  Papists  tell  them  of 
an  end  of  all  their  controversies  at  hand;  of  an  easy 
cheap  remedy  by  believing  the  infallible  pope  anS 
council,  and  so  putting  an  end  to  all  divisions  and 
doubts. 


JUGGLING.  967 

Ih.  Prolffttants  would  havo  none  but  professing 
saints  in  their  churches.  But  Papists  canonize  a  sainl 
as  a  wonder,  and  shut  them  up  in  monasteries,  and  call 
a  few,  rcli^iouif,  who  are  separated  from  other  Chris- 
tians, as  Christians  formerly  were  from  the  world. 
Which  brings  the  peojde  to  think  that  holiness  and 
religion  arc  not  necessary  to  all,  but  to  a  few  devotees 
that  will  be  better  than  they  are  commanded  to  be. 

17.  Protestants  bind  men  to  keep  their  vows,  and 
fidelity  to  their  governors.  But  Papists  tell  them  that 
the  pope  hath  power  to  free  them  from  their  fidelity, 
and  dispense  with  their  oaths. 

18.  Papists  teach  men  to  fast:  by  eating  the  pleas- 
antest  meats.  But  Protestants  use  a  total  abstinence 
while  they  fast. 

19.  The  main  business  and  administration  of  Prot- 
estant pastors,  is  against  that  flesh  that  is  unregenerate, 
and  therefore  must  needs  be  distasteful  to  the  multitude 
of  the  ungodly.  Our  preaching  is  to  open  men's  sin 
and  misery,  and  cause  them  to  perceive  their  lost  con- 
dition, and  so  to  reveal  to  them  a  crucified  Christ  and 
then  to  set  them  on  the  holy  self-denying  heavenly  life 
that  Christ  hath  prescribed  them:  to  speak  terror  to 
the  rebellious,  and  to  cist  the  obstinate  out  of  our  com- 
munion, and  to  comfort  none  as  the  heirs  of  heaven, 
either  in  life  or  death,  but  only  the  truly  sanctified  and 
renewed  souls.  The  preaching  of  Papists  is  but  sel- 
dom ;  but  they  have  a  mass  in  Latin,  and  the  old  say- 
ing is  ;  "The  mass  doth  not  bite:"  it  galleth  not  a  guilty 
conscience  to  see  a  mass  and  hear  prayers  which  he 
understandeth  not.  When  they  do  preach,  they  flatter 
and  deceive  men  by  their  false  doctrine.  They  cannot 
humble  them  in  the  sense  of  their  original  sin  and  mis- 
ery; for  that  they  tell  them  was  quite  extinct  and  done 
away  in  baptism:  and  for  their  following  sins,  absolu- 
tion upon  their  customary  confessions,  hath  done  away 
all  the  guilt  at  least.  So  that  here  is  no  misery  for  the 
miserable  souls  to  see ;  unless  perhaps  some  gross  ac- 
tual sin  be  apparent  among  them,  and  then  they  shall 
have  an  oration  against  it,  to  drive  them  to  auricular 
confession  and  to  receive  the  body  of  Christ  and  be 
absolved.     Thus  do  they  by  ceremonies  quiet  the  con- 


268  JESUIT 

sciences  of  unsanctified  men,  and  humor  them  in  all 
their  rites  and  customs,  and  at  last  turn  them  to  heaven 
or  purgatory  with  an  absolution  and  extreme  unction. 
How  pleasing  a  religion  that  is  to  the  ungodly  people, 
those  ministers  can  tell,  that  see  the  rage  of  such  against 
those  that  deny  them  evenlDetter  forms  and  ceremonies 
when  they  desire  them  to  pacify  their  consciences  in- 
stead of  real  holiness  and  obedience. 

20.  The  Jesuits  have  fitted  their  whole  frame  of  moral 
doctrine  and  case-divinity  to  humor  the  unconscionable. 
Those  that  would  escape  any  worldly  trouble  or  dan- 
ger, the  Jesuits  have  a  help  at  hand  for,  even  their  doc- 
trine of  equivocation,  and  mental  reservation,  which 
makes  the  pope's  dispensation  with  oaths  and  promises 
needless.  What  accommodations  they  have  for  him 
that  hath  a  mind  to  murder  his  adversary,  to  calumni- 
ate another,  to  forbear  restoring  ill-gotten  goods,  to  com- 
mit fornication,  to  rob  another,  and  many  the  like,  you 
may  see  in  their  own  books ;  and  what  comfort  they 
have  for  a  man  that  loveth  not  God,  so  hi?,  will  not  hate 
him.     Mystery  of  Jesuitism. 

So  we  see  the  advantage  that  Papists  have  to  sweep 
away  the  vicious  ignorant  multitude,  and  then  to  boast 
that  they  are  the  catholics,  and  we  but  schismatics, 
because  they  are  the  greater  part:  and  then  they  are 
armed  also  by  the  multitude,  to  oppress  us  by  their  vio- 
lence. 

Now  the  only  remedy  to  use  against  this  fraud,  is 
to  deal  plainly  and  faithfulh^,  though  it  displease,  and  to 
administer  God's  ordinances  as  he  prescribeth,  though 
never  so  distasteful  to  flesh  and  blood :  and  so  to  com- 
mit ourselves  to  God,  and  trust  him  with  his  church 
and  cause,  who  is  able  to  preserve  it,  and  is  most  en- 
gaged to  appear  for  us  when  we  lay  all  upon  him,  and 
have  none  to  trust  but  himself  alone.  Let  us  not  hearken 
in  this  case  to  flesh  and  blood  that  would  advise  us  to 
remit  the  reins  of  discipline,  and  to  bend  our  adminis- 
trations to  some  pleasing  compliance  with  carnal  minds. 
We  disengage  God  when  thus  we  begin  to  shift  for  our- 
selves out  of  his  way.  HalV s  "  Quo  vadis?^^  Censure  of 
Travel. 


JUOOLINC,  *26^ 

CHAPTER     XXX. 

Popish  falsi  (Ulcgdtiuns. 

Another  of  their  frauds  is  this:  They  cull  out  all 
the  harsh  u/ihandsomc  passages,  or  mistakes  that  they 
meet  with  in  any  Protestant  icriters,  and  charge  all 
those  upon  the  Protestant  religion;  as  if  they  were  so 
many  articles  of  our  faith,  or  at  least  v^ere  the  common 
doctrines  of  our  churches. 

They  will  not  give  us  leave  to  do  so  by  them,  when 
we  have  much  more  reason  for  it.  They  teach  the 
people,  that  they  are  bound  to  believe  as  their  teachers 
bid  them  :  and  they  reproach  us  for  confessing-,  that  we 
are  not  in  all  points  of  doctrine  infallible.  Yet  we 
still  confess  this  fallibility,  and  say  in  plain  terms,  thai 
we  know  but  in  part.  Divers  of  their  particular  doc- 
tors that  we  cite,  are  such  as  the  pope  hath  canonized 
for  saints  :  and  they  tell  us  that  in  canonizing  he  is  in- 
fallible. And  therefore  an  infallibly  canonized  saint 
must  not  be  supposed  to  err  in  a  point  of  faith.  They 
boast  so  much  of  unity  and  consent  among  themselves, 
that  we  may  the  better  cite  particular  doctors,  And 
yet  we  think  ourselves  bound  to  stand  to  their  own  law 
in  this,  and  to  charge  nothing  on  them  as  their  faith, 
but  what  their  churcJi  doth  own.  Therefore  while 
they  refuse  to  stand  to  particular  doctors,  we  will  not 
urge  them  to  It :  for  all  men  should  be  the  professors 
of  their  own  belief. 

But  what  reason  is  there  then  that  we  may  not  have 
the  same  measure  from  them  which  they  expect.!*  We 
protess  to  take  no  man,  nor  council  of  men,  for  the 
lords  of  our  faith,  but  for  the  helpers  of  our  faith.  They 
tell  us,  that  they  know  not  where  to  find  our  religion. 
We  assure  them  that  it  is  entirely  in  the  written  word 
of  God,  and  that  we  know  no  other  infallible  rule ;  be- 
cause we  know  no  other  divine  revelation.  They  tell 
us;  "all  heretics  do  pretend  to  Scripture,  and  there- 
fore that  cannot  be  the  test  of  our  religion.^  I  answer 
that  so  all  cavillers,  and  defrauders  may  pretend  to  the 
law  of  the  land  to  undo  poor  men  by  quirks  of  wit.  or 

23* 


a'J'O  JESUIT 

tire  them  with  vexatious  suits :  and  yet  it  follows  not 
that  we  must  seek  another  rule  of  right,  and  take  the 
law  for  insufficient.  What  if  heretics  pretend  to  tra- 
dition, to  general  councils,  and  the  decretals  of  the 
popes,  as  frequently  they  do,  will  you  yield  therefore 
that  those  are  an  insufficient  rule,  or  test  of  your  own 
religion  ?-  Open  your  eyes  and  judge  as  ye  would  be 
judged. 

But  I  come  to  some  of  the  particular  opinions  with 
which  they  charge  us.  And  because  I  know  not  a  more 
weio-hty  renowned  champion  of  their  cause  than  Cardi- 
nal Richlieu  I  shall  take  notice  of  his  twelve  great  errors, 
which  he  so  vehemently  chargeth  on  the  reformed 
churches,  as  contrary  to  the  Scripture.  I  shall  do  much 
to  make  clean  our  churches,  if  I  fully  wipe  off  all  the 
pretended  blots  of  error,  that  so  crafty  a  man  could 
charge  upon  them-  In  his  Defens.  contra  script.  4. 
Ministr,  Charenton.  cap,  2.,  he  thus  begins  his  enumer- 
ation. 

1.  "  The  Scripture  saith,  Jam.  2,  that  a  man  is  not 
justified  by  faith  only  :  But  you  say,  that  he  is  justified 
by  faith  alone,  and  by  faith  only,  which  is  found  in  no 
place  of  Scripture:  and  do  vou  not  then  resist  the  Scrip- 
ture r' 

We  believe  both  the  words  of  Paul  and  James,  that 
a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law, 
and   saved   through   faith   not   of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,  Rom.  iii.  28.  Ephes.  ii.  8,  9 ;  and  also  that 
a  man  is  justified  by  works,  and  not  by  faith  only,  Jam. 2. 
We  believe  all  the  Bible?  Why  then  should  he  charge 
us  with  denying  that,   which   we    retain   and   publicly 
read  in  our  churches  as  the  word  of  God  ?    If  he  can 
prove   that   we   understand   not  those   words  aright,  he 
should  have  evinced  it  better  than  by  the  use  of  the 
words  faith  alone  ;   for  our  churches  by  faith  alone,  do 
profess  openly  to  mean  no  more  than  Paul  doth  by  faith 
without  works :  and  can  they  find  fault  with  Paul  1   We 
are  not  all  agreed  upon  the  fittest  notion  of  the  interest 
of  faith  and  works  in  our  justification  :  but  our  diflerence 
is  more  in  words  and  notions  than  matter.    Why  do  you 
not   quarrel   with   your   own    Cardinal  Contarenus  and 
others  who  join  with  us  in  the  doctrine  of  justification? 


JUGGLING.  271 

2.  His  second  accusation  is  this,  "Tlic  Scripture  saith, 
that  we  can  love  (iotl  witii  all  the  heart.  You  say,  that 
man  can  love  God  with  all  the  heart,  which  is  no  where 
read  in  Scripture  ;  and  yet  do  you  not  resist  the  Scrip- 
tures ?" 

We    distinguish    hetwcen    loving    God  with  all  the 
hearty  as   it   signifieth  the   sincerity   and  predominant 
degree  of  love,  and  so  every  true  Christian  hath  it  :  and 
as  it  signifieth  some    citraordinanj   degrccc  above  thi.'^ 
mere  sincerity,  and  so  some  eminent  stronger  christians 
have  it:  and  as  it  signifieth  the  highest  degree,  which  is 
our  duty,  and  which  excludeth  all   sinful  imperfection, 
and  thus  we  say,  tiiat  no   man   actually  doth  love  God 
perfectly  in  this  Ife ;   nor  do  we   think  he  speaks  like  a 
Christian,  that  dare  say,   "  Lord,  I  love  thee  so  much, 
that  I  will  not  be  beholden  to  thee  to  forgive  the  imper- 
fection of  my  love,  or  help  me  against  any  sinful  imper- 
fection of  it."     Your  own  followers  whom  you  admire 
as  the  highest  lovers  of  God,  do  oft  lament  the  imper- 
fections of  their  love.     But  now,  if  the  question  be  only 
of  the  posse  and   not  the  act;   we  say,  that  the  natural 
power  is   in  all,   and   the  nominal   power  which  is  the 
habit  is   in  the  sanctified  ;   but  this  moral  power  is  not 
perfect  itself,  that  is,  of  the  highest  degree,  and  witho.ut 
any  sinful  imperfection  ;  though  yet  it  hath  the  perfec- 
tion of  sincerity,  and  in  some,  the  perfection  of  an  emi- 
nent degree. 

3.  His  third  accusation  is  this  ;  "The  Scripture  saith, 
that  the  eucharist  is  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  with 
the  junction  of  those  words  that  signify  a  true  body  and 
blood  :  you  say  that  it  is  not  Christ's  body  aixl  blood, 
but  only  a  figure,  sign  and  testimony,  which  the  Scrip- 
ture no  where  saith." 

The  Scripture  saith  not,  that  it  is  his  body  and  blood 
substantially,  or  by  transubstantiation  :  and  we  say  not, 
as  you  feign,  that  it  is  not  his  body  and  blood,  but  a 
figure,  &c.  For  we  say,  that  it  is  his  bod}-  and  blood 
sacramentally  and  representatively  ;  as  he  that  person- 
ateth  a  king  on  some  just  account,  is  called  a  king: 
and  as  in  actions  of  investiture  and  delivery,  the  deliv- 
ering of  a  key  is  the  delivering  of  the  house,  and  the 
delivery  of  a  twig  and  turf  is  the  delivery  of  the  land, 


272  JESUIT 

and  the  deliverer  may  say,  take,  this  is  my  house,  this 
is  my  land,  which  I  deliver  th«e.  If  you  be  among 
many  images  in  a  room,  you  will  not  blame  him  that 
saith,  that  is  Peter,  and  that  is  Paul,  and  that  is  the 
Virgin  Mary,  The  Scripture  often  calls  it  bread  after 
the  consecration  ;  which  you  condemn  us  for  :  therefore 
we  are  taught  to  call  it  so.  The  Scripture  saith  ;  1.  Cor, 
X.  5,  that  Rock  was  Christ:  and  he  saith,  I  am  the 
door,  John  x.  I  am  the  true  vine,  John  xv.  1.  David 
saith  I  am  a  worm  and  no  man,  Psalm  xv.  6.  We  believe 
all  this.  But  must  we  be  therefore  reproached,  if  we 
say  that  Dayid  was  a  man;  that  the  rock  was  Christ  typ- 
ically; that  he  was  a  vine  and  door  metaphorically  only  ; 
and  yet  those  are  as  plain  as,  "  this  is  my  body  and 
this  is  my  blood."  • 

4.  His  fourth  accusation  is  this;  "The  Scripture 
saith,  that  baptism  saveth  us,  and  that  we  are  cleansed 
and  regenerated  by  the  washing  of  water:  on  the  con- 
trary you  say,  that  baptism  doth  neither  save  us,  nor 
regenerate  us,  but  is  only  to  us  a  symbol  of  salvation, 
and  regeneration,  which  is  no  where  said  in  Scripture." 

A  childish  contest  about  words  !  We  say  that  two 
thing's  go  to  our  full  possession  of  our  state  of  regener- 
ation, justification,  and  cleansing:  one  is  our  funda- 
mental right,  w^hich  the  promise  of  the  Gospel  gives 
us  upon  our  heart-consent  or  covenant  with  God  :  the 
other  is  our  solemn  investiture.  In  regfard  to  the  for- 
mer,  we  are  Christians,  and  regenerated  and  justified, 
before  baptism.  In  regard  to  the  latter,  we  are  made 
Christians,  regenerated,  justified,  saved,  by  baptism. 
This  we  commonly  hold,  and  so  never  denied  what 
you  falsely  sa}^  we  deny.  As  a  man  is  made  a  king 
by  his  coronation,  that  yet  in  a  sort  was  one  before  : 
or  as  marriage  makes  them  husband  and  wife  by  pub- 
lic solemnization ;  that  were  fundamentally  so  before 
by  private  covenant :  or  as  possession  is  given  by  a  key, 
or  a  twig  and  a  turf,  of  that  which  a  man  had  a  right  to 
before;  so  are  we  solemnly  invested  with  those  bene- 
fits by  baptism,  which  we  had  a  fundamental  title  to 
before.  Do  not  your  own  writers  confess  this  of  a  man 
that  is  baptised  many  years  after  he  had  faith  and  char- 
ity ?  Do  you  think  that   Cornelius  and  the  rest  that 


jrf:r.LiNc.  273 

had  the  Holy  Ghost  before  baptism,  Act.  x.  had  not 
justification  before  i'  Do  you  think  tliat  Constantint' the 
great  was  unpardoned,  U!iro<j^enerale  and  no  Christian 
till  he  was  haptiseri?  Or  would  you  quarrel  against 
your  own  confessions? 

5.  His  fifth  accusation  is  this.  "Scriptuie  saiih,  that 
priests  do  forgive  sin  :  on  the  contrary  you  say  that 
they  do  not  remit  them,  but  only  testify  that  they  arc 
remitted,  which  the  Scriptures  no  where  say." 

We  say,  that  whose  sins  the  pastors  of  the  church 
remit,  they  are  remitted.  Pastors  as  God's  embassa- 
dors, do  proclaim  his  general  conditional  pardon  unto 
all.  They  are  God's  ministers  to  make  a  particular 
application,  and  delivery  of  pardon  in  baptism  ;  on 
supposition  that  the  baptised  be  qualified  for  pardon. 
They  are,  as  his  ministers,  to  make  the  same  applica- 
tion by  declaration  and  delivery  in  the  absolution  of 
the  penitent ;  on  suposition  that  their  penitence  be  sin- 
cere. As  church  governors,  they  may  sometimes  re- 
mit some  humbling  disgraceful  acts,  that  were  imposed 
on  the  penitent  for  the  testification  of  his  repentance, 
and  the  satisfaction  of  the  church.  And  are  not  those 
four  concessions  enough?  or  are  you  minded  to  pick 
fuel  for  the  rancor  and  uncharitablencss  of  your  minds  ? 

We  do  not  think  that  any  man  can  primarily  ds 
the  chief  agent  forgive  sins:  but  God  must  be  the  first 
pardoner.  Nor  that  any  man  can  pardon  the  sins  of 
the  dead,  and  abate  or  shorten  the  pains  of  the  soul,  in 
a  fire  called  purgatory. 

Verily,  if  the  pope  have  power  to  remit  but  the  very 
temporal  punishment,  he  is  a  cruel  wretch  that  will  not 
forgive  men,  even  good  men,  the  torments  of  the  gout, 
and  the  stone,  and  an  hundred  diseases;  nay  that  will 
not  remit  them  to  himself;  nor  the  pains  ot  death, 
when  he  is  so  loath  to  die.  He  that  cannot  remit  the 
punishments  which  we  see  and  feel,  how  shall  we  be- 
lieve him,  that  he  can  remit  a  penalty  that  he  never 
saw  nor  felt,  nor  can  be  proved  to  exist. 

6.  His  sixth  accusation  is  this;  "Scripture  saith,  if 
a  virgin  marry  she  sinneth  not :  but  you  say  that  the 
just  sin  in  all  works:   which  Scripture  mentions  not." 

Do  you  believe  in  your  conscience  that  the  Scrip- 


274  JESUIT 

ture  meaneth  that  a  virgin  sinneth  not  at  all  in  any 
circumstance  or  defect  in  the  manner  or  concomitants 
of  her  marriage  ?  Then  tell  your  nuns  so,  that  if  they 
marry  they  sin  not.  Tell  priests  so,  that  if  they  marry 
they  sin  not.  Your  own  reason  can  expect  no  other 
sense  in  the  words,  but  that  marriage,  as  such,  is  no 
sin  to  the  virgin.  But  if  you  think  that  in  this  or  in 
any  other  work,  you  see  God  as  apprehensively,  and 
believe  as  strongly,  and  restrain  every  wandering 
thought  as  exactly,  and  love  God  as  much  as  }'t)u  are 
bound  to  do  by  tl)e  very  law  of  nature  itself:  so  that 
you  are  perfectly  blameless,  and  need  not  to  be  beholden 
to  the  blood  of  Christ,  to  the  mercy  of  God,  to  the 
spirit  of  grace  either  for  the  forgiveness  of  those  fail- 
ings, or  the  cure  of  them  :  you  show  a  proud  pharisa- 
tcal  spirit,  unacquainted  with  itself  and  with  the  Gos- 
pel. Do  you  go  on  and  say.  Lord  I  thank  thee  that  I 
am  not  as  other  men:  and  I  will  rather  say,  Lord  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner :  and  which  shall  be  rather 
justified,  Christ  hath  told  iis.  The  streams  cannot  be 
perfectly  sinless  till  the  fountain  be  so;  and  who  can 
say,  I  have  made  my  heart  clean,  I  am  pure  from  my 
sin?  Prov.  xx.  9.  For  there  is  not  a  just  man  upon 
earth,  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not,  Eccl.  vii.  20. 
Christ  telleth  us  that  the  fruit  will  be  like  the  tree,  the 
actions  like  the  heart :  and  therefore  an  imperfect  heart 
will  have  imperfect  duties.  If  you  dare  say  there  is 
no  remnant  of  sin  in  your  hearts,  you  have  so  much 
of  it  that  it  hindereth  you  from  seeing  it.  Humility 
and  self-know'ledge  would  soon  end  this  controversy. 
We  say  not  that  all  our  works  are  sins,  that  is  either 
materially  forbidden,  or  done  in  wickedness  and  from 
vicious  predominant  habits.  But  that  the  same  works, 
which  materially  are  good,  are  tainted  with  our  sinful 
imperfections,  having  not  in  them  that  ineasure  of 
knowledge,  faith,  love,  &e.  that  we  ought  to  have ;  and 
therefore  that  we  must  beg  pardon  for  our  imperfec- 
tions, and  fly  to  the  blood  and  merits  of  Christ,  through 
whom  God  will  accept  both  our  works  and  us,  for  all 
the  imperfection,  which  he  pardoneth  to  us  of  his 
grace. 

7.  His  seventh  accusation  is  thisj  "Scripture  saith, 


JUGGLING.  275 

that  there  are  wicked  men  and  reprobates,  who  believe 
in  Christ:  but  you  contend  that  they  believe  not,  but 
have  only  a  shadow  of  faith:  which  no  Scripture 
saith." 

We  say  that  reprobates  do  believe,  and  we  say  that 
they  believe  not,  taking  belief  in  dilferent  senses.  We 
believe  whatever  the  Scripture  saith,  even  that  the  devils 
believe  and  tremble  :  and  yet  as  believers  and  Chris- 
tians are  all  one,  we  do  not  call  the  (devils  believers 
and  Christians ;  but  you  may  do  it  if  ycu  please.  As 
belief  signifieth  a  bare  ineflectual  conviction  or  super- 
ficial assent  which  you  call  informed  faith,  so  we  still 
confess  that  the  wicked  may  believe.  But  as  belief 
signifieth  our  receiving  of  Christ,  and  coming  to  him, 
and  being  planted  into  him  as  his  members,  and  taking 
him  heartily  as  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  so 
becoming  Christians  and  disciples;  as  it  signifieth  such 
a  faith  that  hath  the  promise  of  pardon,  of  sin  of  adop- 
tion, and  of  glory:  So  we  say  that  the  wicked  have 
but  a  show  or  shadow  ot  it. 

8,  His  eighth  accusation  is  this;  "Scripture  saith, 
that  there  are  some  that  believe  for  a  time,  and  after  at 
another  time  believe  not :  you  deny  that  there  are 
any  that  believe  for  a  time,  and  then  fall  from  faith, 
and  that  he  that  once  believeth  doth  never  lose  that 
faith;  which  is  not  in  any  Scripture  to  be  found." 

We  maintain,  that  there  are  some  that  believe  but 
for  a  time,  and  afterward  fall  away  ;  but  we  say  it  is 
but  with  an  ineffectual  or  common  assent  that  they  be- 
lieve, such  as  you  call  unformed  faith  ;  your  accusa- 
tion therefore  is  false.  The  living  seed  are  meant  of 
saving.  If  any  of  you  think  that  faith  is  called  justi- 
fying or  saving  faith,  only  by  an  extrinsecal  denomi- 
nation, from  a  concomitant,  and  that  there  is  no  differ- 
ence in  the  faith  itself  between  that  of  the  unjustified 
and  of  the  justified,  you  are  mistaken  against  all  rea- 
son. Your  own  philosophers  frequently  maintain  that 
the  will,  which  is  the  seat  of  charity,  followeth  the 
practical  dictates  of  the  intellect,  which  is  the  seat  of 
assent:  and  therefore  according  to  those  philosophers, 
a  practical  belief  must  need  be  accompanied  with 
charity.     Those  that  deny  this,  do  yet  maintain  that 


276  JESUIT 

a  powerful  clear  assent  of  the  intellect  will  infallibly 
procure  the  determination  of  the  will,  though  every 
assent  will  not,  and  though  it  do  it  not  necessarily.  So 
ihat  on  that  account,  and  in  common  reason,  there 
must  needs  be  an  intrinsic  difference  between  that  as- 
sent which  prevailed  with  the  will  to  determine  itself, 
and  that  which  cannot  so  prevail:  and  therefore 
your  unformed  and  your  formed  faith,  have  some 
intrinsic  difference. 

Are  you  not  at  odds  among  yourselves  about  per- 
severance.^ Some  laying  it  first  on  man's  free  will; 
and  some,  with  Austin  ascertaining  perseverance  to 
the  elect,  and  laying  it  on  God's  free  gift ;  and  some 
Jesuits  and  school  men  affirming,  that  the  confirmed  in 
grace  are  not  only  certain  to  persevere,  but  that  they 
necessarily  believe  and  are  saved,  and  cannot  moitally 
sin.     Strange  doctrine  for  a  Jesuit ! 

9.  His  ninth  accusation  is  this;  "  Scripture  saith,  if 
thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments  :  you 
say  there  is  no  need  of  keeping  the  commandments, 
and  that  he  who  saith  it,  doth  deny  Christ  and  abolish 
faith,  of  which  the  Scripture  speaketh  not  a  word." 

We  distinguish  between  the  keeping  of  that  law  of 
works,  or  nature,  which  made  perfect  obedience  the 
only  condition  of  life  :  and  the  keeping  of  the  law  of 
Moses  as  such  :  and  the  keeping  of  the  law  of  Christ. 
For  the  two  first,  we  say  that  no  man  can  be  justified 
by  the  works  of  the  law.  Is  this  a  doubt  among  Pa- 
pists who  believe  Paul's  Epistles?  But  as  for  the  law 
of  Christ,  as  such,  we  must  endeavor  to  keep  it  per- 
fectly;  and  must  needs  keep  it  sincerely,  if  we  will  be 
saved.  In  this  all  Protestants  are  agreed;  and  dare 
any  Papist  deny  it  ?  If  we  be  not  all  agreed  on  the 
sense  of  that  text  of  Scripture,  yet  are  we  agreed  on 
the  doctrine. 

10.  His  tenth  accusation  is  this;  "Scripture  saith, 
that  some  that  were  illuminated  and  made  partakers  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  did  fall,  and  crucif}'-  again  to  them- 
selves the  Son  of  God  :  but  you  defend,  that  whoever 
is  once  a  partaker  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  you  cannot  fall 
from  his  grace:  which  Scripture  speaketh  not." 

We  maintain  that  those  words  of  Scripture  are  of 


JU-ooLiNo.  277 

certain  truth.  But  we  distinguish  between  the  common 
and  the  special  gifts  of  the  spirit.  The  common  gifts 
may  be  lost.  The  special  gifts  which  accompany  sal- 
vation, some  judge  are  never  lost.  Otliers  think  they 
are  lost  only  by  those  that  are  not  predestinated  as 
Austin  and  your  Dominicans  think. 

II.  £lis  eleventh  accusation  is  this;  "Scripture 
saith,  that  God  taketh  away,  and  blotteth  out  our  iniquity 
as  a  cloud,  and  puts  our  iniquities  far  from  us,  as  the 
east  is  from  the  west,  and  maketh  us  as  white  as  snow : 
you  say,  that  he  takes  not  away  nor  blotteth  out  our 
sin,  but  only  doth  not  impute  it,  and  doth  not  make  us 
white  as  snow,  but  leaveth  in  us  the  fault  and  unclean- 
ness  of  sin:  which  Scripture  no  more  speaks." 

That  is  half  falsehood,  and  half  confusion.  It  is 
false  that  we  say,  he  doth  not  take  away,  nor  blot  out 
our  sin,  nor  make  us  white  as  snow.  Do  not  all  Prot- 
estants in  the  world  affirm  this  ?  There  are  these 
things  to  be  considered.  The  act  of  sin :  the  habit, 
the  guilt  or  obligation  to  punishment:  and  the  culpa- 
bility. As  for  the  act,  how  can  you  for  shame  say, 
that  God  takes  it  away,  when  it  is  a  transient  act  that 
is  gone  of  itself  as  soon  as  acted,  and  hath  no  existence, 
as  Scotus  and  all  your  own  take  notice  ?  As  to  the 
culpability,  you  will  not  surely  for  shame  say,  that  God 
so  put  away  David's  adultery,  as  to  make  it  reputable 
as  a  virtue,  or  not  a  vice.  As  to  the  full  guilt,  we 
maintain  that  it  is  done  quite  away:  and  it  is  in  regard 
of  that  guilt  and  punishment  that  the  Scriptures  men- 
tioned by  you  speak.  For  what  else  can  they  mean, 
when  they  speak  of  actual  sins  that  are  past  long  ago, 
and  have  no  existence  .''  Would  you  make  us  believe, 
that  grace  is  given  to  David  to  put  away  the  act  of  his 
murder  and  adultery,  so  that  it  may  be  a  thing  past  and 
gone ;  which  it  is  without  grace  ?  So  that  when  you 
feign  us  to  say,  that  God  takes  not  away  sin,  but  only 
imputeth  it,  you  feign  us  to  make  synonymal  terms  to 
be  of  different  senses.  He  takes  them  away,  by  not 
imputing  them. 

But  if  you  speak  not  of  the  sense  of  a  particnlar 
text,  but  of  the  matter  in  difference,  it  can  be  nothing 
but  the  habit  of  sin  that  you  mean,  that  we  say,  that 

24 


278  jTEsuil* 

God  takes  not  away.  And  here  you  are  partly  calttm- 
niators,  and  partly  erroneous  Pharisees.  You  calum- 
niate, in  feigning  us  to  deny,  that  habitual  sin  is  done 
away.  Because  our  divines  say,  that  it  is  not  the 
work  of  mere  pardon,  which  we  call  justification,  to 
put  it  away ;  therefore  you  falsely  say,  that  we  hold, 
it  is  not  put  away  at  all.  Whereas  we  hold,  that  all 
that  are  justified,  are  sanctified,  converted,  regenerated, 
renewed,  and  must  live  an  holy  life:  and  that  all  their 
sins  are  so  far  destroyed,  that  they  shall  not  have  do- 
minion over  them  :  that  gross  and  wilful  sin  they  for- 
3ake :  and  the  least  infirmities,  they  groan,  and  pray, 
and  strive  against  to  the  last :  and  then  obtain  a  perfect 
conquest.  But  if  you  mean,  that  no  degree  of  habit- 
ual sin,  or  absence  of  holy  qualities  remaineth  in  the 
justified  soul,  it  is  a  Pharisaical  error.  Dare  you  say 
that  you  have  no  sin  to  resist  or  purge  or  pardon  .''  are 
you  in  heaven  already?  The  whole  have  no  need  of  a 
physician,  but  the  sick,  and  have  you  no  need  of  Christ 
to  heal  your  soul  1  would  you  be  no  better  than  you 
are?  O  proud  souls  !  and  strange  to  themselves  and 
the  purity  of  the  law  1  hath  not  the  Holy  Ghost  pro- 
nounced him  a  liar  and  self  deceiver,  that  saith  he  hath 
no  sin,  1  John,  i,  8,  10/  In  many  things  we  offend 
all,  James  iii.  2.  I  shall  recite  two  canons-of  a  council, 
which  if  you  use  the  Lord's  Prayer,  are  fit  for  you  to 
consider.      Concil.  Mllevit.  coat.  Pelagianos  Can.  7. 

That  council  curseih  all  those  as  intolerable  liars, 
that  say  the  Lord's  Prayer,  desiring  him  daily  to  for- 
give or  remit  sins,  and  yet  think  that  they  have  no  sins 
to  forgive,  or  that  every  saint  hath  not  such  sins. 
What  can  a  Papist  say  to  this,  but  by  making  councils 
as  void  of  sense,  as  they  feign  the  Holy  Scriptures  to 
be? 

12.  His  twelfth  and  last  accusation  is  this ;  "The 
Scripture  saith,  that  blessedness  is  the  reward,  the 
prize,  the  penny,  the  wages  of  laborers,  and  the  crown 
of  righteousness:  you  contend  that  its  merely  the  free 
gift  of  God,  and  not  reward,  which  no  Scripture  doth 
affirm." 

We  constantly  say  that  eternal  life  is  given  as  a  re- 
ward and  crown  of  righteousness.     But  we  distin- 


JUOOLINC,  Si79 

guish  between  the  act  of  God  in  his  Gospel  promise, 
which  is  a  conditional  deed  of  f^ift  of  Christ  and  life  to 
all  that  will  accept  them,  and  the  execution  of  this  by 
judj^nient  and  glorilication.  We  also  say  that  it  was 
merely  of  God's  free  grace  that  he  made  such  a  deed 
of  ijift,  the  blood  of  Christ  being  the  purchasing  cause, 
and  nothing  of  our  works  had  a  hand  in  the  procure- 
ment. Our  justification  in  judgment,  and  our  glorifi- 
cation, which  are  the  execution  of  the  law  of  grace,  do 
make  our  works  the  reason  ;  not  as  having  merited  it 
in  commutative  justice,  but  as  having  performed  the 
condition  of  the  free  gift,  and  so  being  the  persons  to 
whom  it  doth  belong..  This  is  the  sense  of  Scotus  and 
of  one  half  of  the  Papists,  who  say  that  merit  of  con- 
dignity  is  but  by  virtue  of  God's  promise. 

I  leave  it  to  the  conscience  of  any  sober  Papist,  wheth- 
er we  be  guilty  in  any  one  point  that  this  great  cardinal 
chargeth  us  with  ?  And  whether  Papists  and  Protes- 
tants were  not  in  a  fair  way  for  reconciliation,  if  we 
differed  not  more  in  other  thin.crs  than  in  these? 

Scripture  only  is  the  rule  and  test  of  our  faith  and 
religion.  Polydore  Virgil  speaks  truly  of  us,  saying; 
"  They  are  called  evangelical,  because  they  maintain 
that  no  law  is  to  be  received  in  matters  of  salvation, 
but  what  is  delivered  by  Christ  or  his  Apostles."  If 
therefore  any  man  speak  in  any  word  amiss,  blame  the 
man  that  spoke  it  for  that  word ;  but  blame  not  all,  or 
any  others  for  it.  Austin  retracted  his  own  errors ; 
and  which  of  us  dare  justify  every  word  that  hath  fallen 
from  our  mouths  or  pen  before  God  i*  How  many 
hundred  points  do  schoolmen  and  commentators  charge 
on  one  another  as  erroneous,  among  yourselves  /  Shall 
all  the  errors  of  the  fathers  be  charged  on  the  catholic 
church,  or  all  your  writers'  errors  upon  yours  .'' 

That  we  do  well  to  stick  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  as 
the  sufficient  rule,  we  are  the  more  encouraged  to  think, 
by  the  concessions  of  our  adversaries  of  greatest  note, 
as  well  by  the  testimony  of  the  Scripture  itself,  and 
the  consent  of  the  ancient  doctors  of  the  church,  and 
the  unprovedness  of  their  pretended  additional.  Even 
Cardinal  Richlieu  saith  ;  "  As  for  us,  we  put,  or  assert, 
no  other  rule  but  Scripture,  neither  of  another  sort,  nor 


280  JESUIT 

total :  and  we  say  that  it  is  the  whole  rule  of  our  sal- 
vation, and  that  on  a  double  account ;  both  because  it 
containeth  immediately  and  formally  the  sum  of  our 
salvation,  that  is,  all  the  articles  that  are  necessary  to 
man's  salvation,  by  necessity  of  means ;  and  because 
it  mediately  containeth  whatsoever  we  are  bound  to 
believe,  as  it  sends  us  to  the  church  to  be  instructed  by 
her,  of  whose  infallibility  it  certainly  confirmeth  us." 
Thus  he  grants  us  that  all  articles  necessary  to  our 
salvation,  as  means,  are  immediately  and  formally  in 
the  Scripture  :  then  surely  they  may  be  saved  that  be- 
lieve no  more  than  is  in  the  Scripture:  that  we  are  to 
believe  no  church  but  that  which  the  Scripture  sends 
us  to,  and  to  believe  its  infallibility  no  further  than  the 
Scripture  doth  confirm  it:  and  that  the  Scripture  is  our 
whole  and  only  rule.  Othat  all  Papists  would  adhere 
to  this !  But  let  them  not  blame  us  now  for  standing 
to  it. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Diversity  of  opinion. 

Another  of  their  frauds  is  this;  by  ranking  the 
Protestants  among  the  rabble  of  sects  and  heresies  that 
are  in  the  world,  and  then  asking  ignorant  souls,  if  you 
will  needs  be  of  any  sect  how  many  are  before  you? 
and  what  reason  have  you  rather  to  be  of  the  Protes- 
tants, than  of  any  oiher  / 

This  question  is  worth  the  considering  by  a  Papist, 
or  any  sectary;  but  the  true  catholic  is  quite  out  of  the 
reach  of  it.  The  church  of  Christ  is  one,  and  but  one, 
This  one  catholic  church  containeth  ail  the  true  Chris- 
tians in  the  world.  This  is  the  church  that  I  am  a 
member  of;  which  is  far  wider  than  the  Popedom. 
The  church  that  I  profess  myself  a  member  of  contain- 
eth three  parts;  The  most  sound  and  healthful  part; 
and  that  is  the  reformed  churches.  The  most  un- 
sound in  doctrine,  though  possess  d  of  many  learned 
men  ;  not  as  Papists  but  as  Christians,  though  infected 


JUBGLING.  281 

with  Popery.  Tlic  middle  part,  which  is  sounder 
than  the  Papists  ip.  doctrine,  hut  less  learned,  and  below 
the  Protestants  in  both;  and  that  is  all  the  Greeks  and 
other  Eastern  and  Southern  churches  that  are  no  sub- 
jects of  the  pope.  All  those,  even  all  true  Christians, 
are  members  of  the  church  that  I  belong  to;  thoug'h 
some  of  them  be  more  sound,  and  to  these  I  may  add 
many  particular  lesser  sects,  that  subvert  not  the 
foundation.  Will  you  ask  me  now  why  I  will  not 
be  of  another  sect,  as  well  as  of  the  Protestants/ 
My  answer  is  ready,  a  sect  divided  from  the  body, 
1  abhor.  I  am  of  no  sect.  It  is  the  unity,  universality 
and  antiquity  of  the  church  that  are  its  honorable 
attributes  in  my  eyes.  I^rotestants  that  unchurch 
all  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  count  themselves  the 
whole  church  of  Christ,  do  in  some  sort  make  them- 
selves a  sect.  But  where  is  there  any  such  ?  There- 
fore Protestants  are  no  more  a  sect,  than  the  patients 
in  a  hospital  who  are  almost  healed,  or  than  the  higher 
form  of  sc  holars  in  school,  or  than  merchants  or  richer 
sort  of  tradesmen  in  a  city  Such  vl  sect  God  grant 
that  I  may  be  of,  even  one  in  the  church  that  shall  be 
of  soundest  understanding,  and  of  purest  worship,  and  of 
the  most  careful,  holy,  honest  life.  But  still  I  shall 
acknowledge  them  of  the  lowest  form,  even  them  that 
learn  the  A.  B.  C.  to  be  in  the  same  school  Vv'ith  me. 
And  if  they.  Papists  or  any  others,  will  disclaim  me, 
that  shall  not  unchurch  me,  as  long  as  Christ  disclaims 
me  not.  Nor  shall  it  provoke  me  to  disclaim  them  any 
further  than  Christ  leads  the  way.  So  that  the  Papists 
may  see  that  if  they  will  deny  the  church  that  I  am 
of,  they  must  deny  their  own,  and  all  the  Christian 
world. 

But  how  will  they  answer  this  themselves?  It  is 
one  of  the  greatest  reasons  why  I  dare  not  be  a  Papist, 
because  then  I  know  I  must  be  a  sectary.  What  is  a 
Papist  but  as  mere  a  sectary  as  any  that  retaineth  a 
name  in  the  church  i*  They  are  a  company  of  men 
that  have  set  up  a  human  usurping  head  or  vice-Chritt 
over  the  catholic  church,  owning  him  themselves;  and 
unchurching  and  condemning  all  the  church  that  will 
not  own  him.     The  church  that  I  am  of  is  near  thrice 

24* 


282  JESUIT 

as  big  as  the  Papist  church  is.  Theirs  is  but  a  pollut- 
ed piece,  that  would  divide  itself  from  all  the  rest  by 
condemning  them. 

I  would  seriously  desire  any  Papist  living  to  resolve 
the  question  ;  If  he  will  needs  be  of  a  sect,  and  forsake 
the  universal  church,  why  of  the  Popish  sect  rather  than 
another?  If  because  it  is  the  greatest,  I  answer  it  is 
less  than  the  whole.  If  because  it  is  the  purest,  it  is 
the  most  impure.  If  for  antiquity,  it  is  founded  upon 
novelty.  If  because  it  is  the  richest?  their  money  per- 
ish with  them  that  measure  the  church  and  truth  of 
Christ  by  the  riches  and  splendor  of  this  world ! 


CHAPTER     XXXII. 

Romish  Ancestors. 

Another  of  their  jugglings  is  this;  By  working 
upon  the  people^s  natural  affections,  and  asking  them, 
where  they  think  all  their  Jorefathers  are  that  died  in 
the  communion  of  the  Roman  church?  Dare  they 
think  that  they  are  all  damnedl  intimating  that  it  is 
cruelty  to  say  their  ancestors  are  in  hell ;  and  if  they 
say  they  be  in  heaven,  then  there  is  but  one  way  thith- 
er, and  therefore  you  must  go  the  way  that  they  went. 

1.  A  weak  understanding  may  easily  deal  with  that 
sophistry.  What  if  we  grant  that  many  of  our  fore- 
fathers that  died  Papists  are  in  heaven  ?  doth  it  follow 
that  we  must  therefore  be  Papists?  It  was  not  by  Po- 
pery that  they  went  to  heaven,  but  by  Christianity. 
What  if  many  recover  and  live  that  eat  not  only  earth 
and  dirt,  but  hemlock  or  other  poisons  .'*  Must  1  there- 
fore eat  them  ?  Or  doth  it  follow  that  there  is  no  other 
way  to  health  ? 

2.  Our  forefathers  were  all  saved  that  were  holy, 
justified  persons,  and  no  others.  But  among  so  many 
and  great  impediments  as  Popery  cast  in  their  way,  we 
have  great  reason  to  fear  that  far  fewer  of  them  were 
saved,  than  are  now  among  the  reformed  churches. 
Must  I  needs  go  that  difficult  way  to  heaven,  because 


JUOOLINO,  585 

some  of  them  get  thither?  Must  I  travel  a  way  that 
is  commonly  beset  with  thieves,  because  some  that  go 
that  way  do  escape  them? 

3.  It  tliis  were  good  reasoning,  then  may  all  the 
heathens,  inHdels,  Mohjimmedans  use  it,  that  have  been 
educated  in  darkness.  It  is  the  argument  which  the 
barbarous  heathens  use,  when  the  Gospel  is  preached 
to  them  ;  what  think  you,  say  they,  is  become  of  our 
fathers  ?  If  they  were  saved  without  the  Gospel,  so 
may  we.  The  story  of  that  infidel  prince  is  common 
that  being  ready  to  go  to  the  water  to  be  baptized, 
stepped  back,  and  asked  where  are  all  my  ancestors 
now?  And  when  he  was  told  that  they  were  in  hell, 
and  that  the  Christians  go  to  heaven,  he  told  them,  then 
he  would  be  no  Christian,  for  he  would  go  where  his 
ancestors  are. 

4.  Where  be  all  our  forefathers  that  are  dead  since 
the  reformation?  and  where  be  all  those  that  died  be- 
tween the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  the  appearing  of 
Popery,  or  the  prevailing  of  it  in  the  world  ?  and  where 
be  all  that  die  in  the  eastern  and  southern  churches,  that 
are  no  subjects  of  the  Pope  of  Rome?  Have  we  not 
as  little  reason  to  think  that  all  these  millions  of  men 
are  damned,  as  to  think  so  of  our  Popish  ancestors? 

5.  Why  should  we  be  more  foolish  for  our  souls 
than  for  our  bodies?  I  would  not  be  poor  because  my 
ancestors  were  so.  Nor  would  I  have  the  stone  or 
gout  because  my  ancestors  had  them.  Nor  will  I  say 
3iat  they  are  no  diseases,  tor  fear  of  dishonoring  my 
ancestors  that  had  them.  And  why  then  should  I  wil- 
fully lick  up  any  Popish  errors,  because  my  ancestors 
by  the  disadvantage  of  the  times  and  of  their  education 
were  cast  upon  them? 

6.  It  is  not  oar  forefathers  but  God  that  we  must 
follow.  It  is  he,  and  not  they,  who  is  the  Lord  of  our 
faith  and  of  our  souls.  It  will  not  excuse  us  in  judg- 
ment for  disobeying  God,  to  say  that  our  forefathers 
led  us  the  way:  nor  will  it  ease  us  in  hell  to  suffer 
with  our  forefathers.  Christ  tells  us,  Z/wAe  xvi.  of  a 
rich  man  that  in  hell  would  have  his  brethren  warned, 
lest  they  should  follow  him:  but  these  men  would  have 
us  follow  our  forefathers,  even   in  their  sin  against 


284  JESUIT 

God.  Whereas  the  Scriptures  constantly  make  it  an 
aggravation  of  a  people's  sin,  when  they  follow  their 
fathers  in  it,  and  take  not  warning  by  their  falls.  The 
son  that  foUowelh  his  father  in  his  sins,  shall  die,  and 
he  that  takes  warning  and  avoideth  his  father's  sins, 
shall  live.     EzehieJ  xviii. 

7.  Our  forefathers  might  be  saved  that  sinned  in 
the  dark,  and  yet  we  be  damned  if  we  follow  them  in 
the  light;  or  at  least  we  shall  be  beaten  with  more 
stripes  than  they,  if  both  must  perish.  They  had  not 
our  means,  or  liberty.  If  they  had  seen  and  heard 
Avhat  we  have  done,  many  of  them  would  have  repented 
long  ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  Shall  we  sin  wil- 
fully after  the  knowledge  of  truth,  because  our  fath- 
ers sinned  ignorantly  for  want  of  information? 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

Popish  Despotism. 

Another  of  their  frauds  is  this;  Pretend'uig  to  a 
divine  institution,  and  natural  excellency  of  a  visible 
monarchical  govarnment  of  the  church.  And  so  they 
would  derive  it  from  Peter,  from  Christ  or  from  na- 
ture, and  God  the  author  of  nature. 

All  their  writings  take  this  as  their  strength.  I  shall 
refer  chiefly  to  a  cheating  consultation,  by  Boverius, 
Ratione  vera  fidei,  (S^c.  ad  Carolum  Principem,  in- 
tended for  the  perverting  of  Charles  I.  then  in  Spain. 

Part  I.Reg.  6.  he  asserteth,  that  "  besides  Christ 
the  invisible  head  of  the  church,  there  is  a  necessity 
that  we  acknowledge  another  certain  visible  head  sub- 
rogate to  Christ,  and  instituted  of  him,  without  which 
none  can  be  a  member  of  Christ,  or  any  way  subsist 
alive." 

He  begins  his  proof  with  a  cheat,  as  gross  as  com- 
mon, an  abuse  of  Cyprian's  words,  /.  1.  Ep.  3.  where 
Cyprian  speaks  for  the  necessity  of  obeying  one  in  the 
church,  meaning  a  particular  church,  as  the  whole 
scope  of  his  epistle  testifieth :    and  this  man  would 


JUGGLINO.  285 

make  the  simple  believe  that  he  speaks  of  the  univer- 
sal church. 

K  His  reasons  proceed  thus:  He  tells  us,  that  "  the 
invisible  God  thinks  meet  to  govern  the  world  by  vis- 
ible men."  Who  denies  that  Christ  also  governeth  his 
church  by  men  ? 

But  he  concludeth  hence;  "Still  we  believe  that 
Christ  doth  govern  his  church  in  another  way  than 
God  governeth  the  whole  world  ?"  Doth  not  this  man 
give  up  the  cause  of  the  pope,  and  say  as  much  against 
it  fundamentally  as  Protestant  ?  "  We  must  not  believe 
that  Christ  doth  govern  the  church  in  any  other  way 
than  God  doth  govern  the  world."  But  saith  common 
sense  and  experience ;  God  doth  not  govern  the  whole 
world  by  any  one,  two,  or  ten,  universal  vice-monarchs : 
therefore  Christ  doth  not  govern  the  church  by  any 
one  universal  vice-monarch. 

His  next  reason  is,  '•  Because  Christ  was  a  visible 
monarch  once  on  earth  himself:  and  if  the  church 
had  need  of  a  visible  monarch  then,  it  hath  need  of  it 
still."  1.  Here  the  reader  may  see,  that  it  is  to  no 
less  than  to  be  Christ's  successor,  or  a  vice-Christ,  that 
the  pope  prelendeth.  And  then  the  reason,  if  it  were 
of  any  worth,  would  as  well  prove,  that  there  must  be 
one  on  earth  still  that  may  give  the  Holy  Ghost  imme- 
diately, and  make  articles  of  faith  de  novo,  and  laws 
for  the  church  with  promise  of  salvation,  and  may  ap- 
point new  offices  and  orders  in  the  whole  church,  &c. 
And  why  not  one  also  to  live  without  sin,  and  die  for 
our  sins,  and  rise  again,  and  be  our  Saviour?  And 
why  not  one  to  give  us  his  own  body  and  blood  in  the 
sacrament  ? 

2.  Christ  himself  doth  oppose  himself  to  all  terres- 
tial  inhabitants,  saying;  One  is  your  master  even 
Christ.  Be  not  ye  called  masters  ?  but  he  that  is 
greatest  among  you  shall  be  your  servant.  Be  not  ye 
called  Rabbi,  for  one  is  your  master  even  Christ,  and 
all  ye  are  brethren.  J»f^^  xxiii.  8,  9,  10,  11, 12.  Where 
most  evidently  he  shows  that  neither  Peter,  or  any  of 
his  own  disciples  were  to  be  called  masters,  as  Christ 
was,  nor  was  any  such  to  be  on  earth,  and  so  no  vice- 
Christ  ;  yea  that  all  his  apostles  being  brethren,  were 


2SQ  JESUIT 

€ 

not  to  be  masters  one  to  another,  but  servants  :  so  that 
here  is  a  plain  bar  put  in  against  any  of  Peter's  mas- 
tership or  headship  of  the  universal  church.  Hence, 
it  follows  not  that  we  must  still  have  a  Christ  on  earth, 
because  we  once  had. 

3.  Christ  hath  chosen  another  vicar,  though  invisi- 
ble, as  Tertullian  calls  him;  and  that  is, the  Holy  Ghost, 
whom  he  sent  to  make  such  supply  as  was  necessary, 
by  vari()us  gifts  proportioned  to  the  several  states  and 
members  of  the  church. 

4.  If  Christ  would  have  left  a  vice-Christ  upon 
earth,  w^hich  should  have  been  an  essential  part,  even 
the  head  oi  his  church:  he  would  doubtless  have  plainly 
expressed  it  in  Scripture,  and  described  his  office  and 
power,  and  given  him  directions  to  exercise  it,  and  us 
directions  how  to  know  which  is  he,  and  to  obey  him ; 
but  there  is  not  a  word  of  any  such  matter  in  the 
Scripture,  nor  antiquity  ;  when  yet  is  a  point  of  such 
unspeakable  importance? 

5.  You  might  as  well  feign,  that  if  it  were  then 
necessary  to  have  twelve  or  thirteen  apostles,  it  is  so 
still:  and,  if  then  it  was  necessary  to  have  the  gift  of 
tongues  and  miracles,  it  is  so  still:  of  which  the  pope 
himself  is  void. 

6.  It  is  not  enough  for  your  silly  wit,  to  say  it  is  fit 
that  Christ  have  a  successor,  therefore  he  hath  one: 
but  let  him  that  claimeth  so  high  an  honor  as  to  be  the 
vice  Christ,  produce  his  commission,  and  prove  his 
claim  it  he  will  be  believed. 

7.  Christ  is  still  the  visible  head  of  his  church,  seen 
in  heaven,  and  as  much  seen  in  heaven,  and  as  much 
Been  over  all  the  world,  except  Judea  and  Egypt,  as 
ever  he  was.  When  he  was  on  earth,  he  was  not  visible 
at  Rome,  Spain,  Asia,  &c.  He  that  is  emperor  of  the 
Turkish  Monarchy,  perhaps  was  never  personally  a 
hundred  miles  from  Constantinople.  The  King  of 
Spain  is  no  visible  monarch  in  the  West  Indies.  If  all 
the  world  except  Judea  might  be  without  a  present 
Christ,  then  why  that  may  not  as  well  as  the  rest  you 
may  give  him  nn  account,  if  you  will  tie  him  to  be 
here  resident. 

8.  If  the   pope  would   usurp   no   more  power  than 


JUGGLING.  287 

Christ  exercised  visibly  on  eartli,  he  wouhi  not  then 
divide  inheritances,  nor  beatipmporal  princo,  nor  wear 
a  triple  crown  nor  keep  a  court  and  retinue,  nor  depose 
princes,  nor  deny  thein  tribute,  nor  exempt  his  prelates 
from  it,  nor  from  their  judgment  seats,  nor  absolve 
their  subjects  from  their  fidelity,  &c.  nor  trouble  the 
world  as  now  he  doth.  He  would  not  exercise  the 
power  of  putting  any  to  death ;  much  less  would  he 
set  up  in([uisitions,  to  burn  poor  people  for  reading  the 
Scriptures,  or  not  being  of  liis  mind. 

He  makes  Christ  tlie  "  visible  pope  while  he  was 
on  earth,  and  tells  us  that  promulgating  the  Gospel, 
sending  apostles,  instituting  sacraments,  &c.  weie  Pon- 
tificalia iiumcra,  Papal  ofiices.''  AVas  Christ  a  pope: 
and  is  the  pope  a  Christ  ?  Jesus  I  know :  and  Peter 
and  Paul  I  know  :  but  this  vice-Christ  I  know  not.  If 
indeed  the  vice-Christ  have  power  to  do  those  Papal 
works,  to  promulgate  a  new  Gospel,  to  send  out  Apos- 
tles, to  institute  sacraments,  &c.  as  Christ  did,  let  us 
but  know  which  be  the  pope's  sacraments,  and  which 
be  Christ's;  which  be  the  pope's  Apostles,  and  which 
be  Christ's ;  and  which  be  the  pope's  Grospel,  and 
which  is  Christ's,  and  we  shall  use  them  accordingly. 
The  law  and  testimony  will  help  us  to  distinguish 
them. 

He  tells  us  as  Card.  RicliUcu  and  the  rest  commonly 
do,  that  "it  is  no  dishonor  to  Christ  to  have  a  deputy, 
no  more  than  ior  the  king  of  England  to  have  a  deputy 
or  vice-king  in  Ireland."  But  our  first  question  is, 
whether  de  facto  such  a  thing  be  .'*  Prove  that  Christ 
hath  commissioned  a  vice-Christ,  and  we  will  not  pre- 
sume to  say  that  he   hath  dishonored  himself. 

Though  it  should  not  dishonor  Christ,  it  is  such  a 
transcendent  honor  to  man,  as  we  will  not  believe  that 
any  man  hath,  that  proveth  not  his  claim.  It  was  no 
dishonor  to  the  Godhead  to  be  united  to  the  manhood 
of  Christ  in  personal  union  ;  but  if  the  pope  say  that 
the  Godhead  is  thus  united  to  his  manhood  I  will  not 
believe  him. 

Though  we  should  not  have  presumed  to  question 
Christ  if  he  had  done  it,  yet  we  must  presume  to  tell 
the  pope  that  he  is  guilty  of  dishonoring  Christ  by  his 


288  JESUIT 

usurpation.  Because  he  sets  up  himself  as  vice-Christ, 
without  his  commission  ;  and  takes  that  to  himself, 
Christ's  prerogative.  God  saith,  "  This  is  my  beloved 
son  in  whom  lam  well  pleased,  hear  him:  And  the 
Papists.say  of  the  Pope,  "  This  is  the  vice-Christ,  hear 
him."  •  Because  the  power  of  the  king  is  more  com- 
municable, than  the  power  of  Christ,  it  being  such  as 
is  fit  for  one  mere  man  as  well  as  for  another.  But 
the  power  of  Christ  is  such  as  no  mere  man  is  fit  for. 
The  capacity  of  the  subject  is  considerable  as  necessa- 
ry to  the  reception  of  the  form  of  power.  He  that  is 
God  as  well  as  man  is  fit  for  a  universal  monarchy, 
when  he  that  is  mere  man  is  not.  Whence  we  ar- 
gue thus: — If  there  was  never  such  a  thing  by  God's 
institution  as  a  mere  man  to  be  the  Christ  or  universal 
head  of  the  church,  then  there  is  no  such  thing  to  be 
imagined  now :  but  there  never  was  such  a  thing. 

Christ  that  was  the  visible  head  was  God  and  man : 
when  the  pope  is  so,  we  will  believe  in  him,  as  his  suc- 
cessor. 

The  reading  of  their  immodest  arguings,  to  prore 
the  pope  to  be  the  vice-Christ  on  earth,  doth  exceedingly 
increase  my  suspicion  that  he  is  the  Antichrist.  For 
to  be  Peter's  successor,  as  a  first  Apostle,  is  a  contempt- 
ible thing  in  those  men's  eyes.  This  is  not  it  that  they 
plead  for.  Bellarmin  expressly  tells  us,  that  the  pope 
succeeds  not  Peter  as  an  Apostle:  it  is  as  a  vice-Christ 
to  the  whole  church,  as  Boverius  maintaineth:  and 
this  they -make  the  foundation  of  their  catholic  church, 
and  the  acknowledgment  of  it  essential  to  every  mem- 
ber of  it. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

Scripture  Evidence. 

Another  of  their  devices  is,  to  take  noUdng  as  evi- 
dence from  Scripture  ;  but  ike  letters  or  express  words. 

They  will  not  endure  to  hear  of  consequences,  no 
nor  synonymous  expressions.    Bellarmin  himself  saith, 


JUGGLING.  289 

Verb.  Dei,  Lib.  3.  Cap.  3.  "  It  is  agreed  between  us 
and  our  adversaries,  that  efficient  arguments  should 
be  sought  from  the  literal  sense  alone  :  for  that  sense 
which  is  immediately  collected  from  the  wortls,  is  the 
certain  reasoning  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Cardinal  Per- 
ron in  his  reply  against  King  James  devised  this 
deceit:  but  Gonter  and  Veronius  the  Jesuits  have  per- 
fected it.  Vedelius  shows;  Rationale  Theologicum 
Cap.  6.  that  it  was  hatched  in  Germany  by  the  Luth- 
erans for  the  defending  of  consubstantiation,  and  from 
them  borrowed  by  the  revolter  Perron  ;  whose  father 
was  a  Protestant ;  but  the  sons  of  profligacy  being  in- 
tolerable to  the  Huguenot  Christians  he  became  a  Pa- 
pist.     Voctiits  Cans.  Disp.  Pap. 

Our  judgment  in  this  point,  I  shall  lay  down  dis- 
tinctly. 1.  The  Holy  Scripture  is  the  doctrine,  testa- 
ment and  law  of  Christ.  And  we  shall  add  nothing  to 
it,  nor  take  aught  from  it.  The  use  of  it  as  a  doctrine, 
is  to  inform  us  of  the  will  of  God  in  points  there  writ- 
ten. The  use  of  it  as  a  testament,  is  to  signify  to  us 
the  last  will  of  our  Lord  concerning  our  duty  and  sal- 
vation. The  use  of  it  as  a  law,  is  to  appoint  us  our 
duty  and  reward  or  punishment ;  and  to  be  the  rule  of 
our  obedience^  by  which  we  shall  be  judged. 

2.  All  laws  are  made  to  reasonable  creatures,  and 
suppose  the  use  of  reason  for  the  understandingof  them. 
To  use  reason  about  the  law,  is  not  to  add  to  the  law. 

3.  The  subject  must  have  this  use  of  reason  to  dis- 
cern the  sense  of  the  law  that  he  may  obey  it :  and 
the  judge  must  rationally  pass  the  sentence  by  it. 

4.  This  is  the  application  of  the  law  to  the  fact  and 
person  :  and  though  the  fact  in  person  be  not  in  the 
law,  yet  the  application  of  the  law  to  the  fact  and  per- 
son is  no  addition  to  it.  Otherwise  to  use  any  such  thing 
would  be  to  add  to  it. 

5.  As  the  fact  is  distinct  from  the  law,  so  must  the 
sentence  of  the  judge  be,  which  results  from  both. 

6.  To  speak  the  sense  or  thing  in  equipollent  terms, 
is  not  to  the  law  in  matter  or  sense :  else  we  must  not 
translate. 

7.  Yet  we  maintain  the  Scripture  sufficiency  in 
terms  and  sense,  so  that  we  shall  confess  that  equipol- 

25 


•^90  JESUET 

lent  words  are  only  Holy  Scripture  as  to  sense,  but  no^' 
as  to  the  terms  ;  even  translations  themselves. 

8.  But  there  is  no  law  but  may  many  ways  be  bro- 
ken, and  no  doctrine  but  may  be  divers  ways  opposed. 
And  therefore  though  we  yield,  that  nothing  but  the 
express  words  of  God  are  the  Scripture,  for  terms  and 
sense,  yet  many  thousand  words  may  be  against  Scrip- 
ture, that  be  not  there  expressly  forbidden  in  terms.^ 

The  law  of  nature  is  God's  law,  and  the  light  of  na- 
ture is  his  levelation.  And  therefore  that  which  the 
light  of  nature  seeth  immediately  in  nature,  or  that 
which  it  seeth  from  Scripture  and  nature  compared 
together,  and  soundly  concludeth  from  these  premises, 
is  truly  a  revelation  from  God. 

10.  The  conclusion  followeth  the  more  from  the 
premises,  in  point  of  evidence  or  certainty  to  us 
Where  the  Scripture  is  the  more  dark,  there  the  con- 
clusion is  of  the  Scripture  faith  :  but  where  the  fact 
or  proposition  fi'om  the  light  of  nature  is  more  weak, 
there  the  conclusion  is  of  natural  evidence:  but  in  both, 
of  divine  discovery.  For  there  is  no  truth  and  light 
but  from  God  the  father  of  lights. 

Now  for  the  Papists,  you  may  see  their  folly  thus ; 
if  nothing  but  the  bare  word  of  law  may  be  heard  in 
trials,  then  all  laws  in  the  world  are  void  and  vain. 
For  the  subjects  be  not  all  named  in  them  ;  nor  the  fact 
named:  and  what  then  have  witnesses,  and  jurors,  and 
judges  to  do  ?  The  promise  saith,  he  that  beiieveth 
shall  be  saved :  but  it  doth  not  say  that  Bellarmin  or 
Veronius  beiieveth  :  doth  it  follow,  that  therefore  they 
may  make  no  use  of  it  for  the  comforting  of  their  souls 
in  the  hopes  of  salvation  .''  The  threatening  saith,  that 
he  that  beiieveth  not  is  condemned  :  but  it  saith  not 
that  such  or  such  a  man  beiieveth  not :  should  they 
not  therefore  fear  the  threatening  ? 

By  this  trick  they  would  condemn  Christ  himself 
also,  as  adding  to  the  law  in  judgment.  He  will  say 
to  them,  I  was  hungry  and  ye  fed  me  not,  &c.  But 
where  said  the  Scripture  so,  that  such  or  such  a  man 
fed  not  Christ?  Christ  knows  the  fact  without  the 
Scripture.  The  Scripture  is  sufficient  to  its  own  use, 
to  be  the  rule  of  obedience  and  judgment;  but  it  is  not 
sufficient  to  every  other  use  which  it  was  never  made 


I 


JUGGLING.  29^ 

kor.  The  law  said  to  Cain,  thou  shak  not  murdiT.  Bui 
it  is  not  said  to  him,  thou  hast  killed  thy  brother,  tliere- 
forethoii  shall  die.   It  was  the  judge's  part  to  deliver  this. 

By  this  trick  they  would  give  a  raan  leave  to  vent 
any  blasphemy,  or  do  any  villainy,  changing  but  the 
name.  But  they  shall  find  that  the  law  intended  not 
bare  words,  but  by  words  to  signify  things  :  and  if  they 
do  the  things  prohibited,  or  hold  the  opinions  condemn- 
ed, whatever  names  or  words  they  clothe  them  with, 
they  shall  feel  the  punishment. 

By  this  they  would  leave  almost  nothing  provable 
by  the  Scripture,  seeing  a  Papist  or  heretic  may  put 
the  same  into  other  terms,  and  then  call  for  the  proof  of 
that.  For  example,  they  may  ask  where  God  com- 
mandeth  or  institateth  any  of  the  sacraments  in  Scrip- 
ture? And  when  we  tell  them  where  Baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  instituted,  they  may  reply,  that 
there  is  no  mention  of  Sacraments ;  and  so  turn  real 
"ontroversies  into  verbal. 

By  this  they  would  make  all  translations  to  be  of 
"little  use.  A  man  might  lawfully  sin  in  English,  be- 
cause God  forbad  it  only  in  Hebrew  and  Greek. 

Let  them  tell  us  what  Scripture  saith,  that  Peter  was 
the  vicar  of  Christ,  or  the  head  of  the  catholic  church: 
or  the  bishop  of  Rome,  or  that  the  pope  is  his  succes- 
sor, or  that  the  pope  is  the  vice-Christ,  or  universal 
bish:)p.  Where  is  there  express  Scripture  for  any  of 
this?  or  so  much  as  Bellarmin's  literal  sense? 

Why  do  not  those  blind  and  partial  men  see,  that 
the  same  course  also  must  be  taken  with  their  own  laws? 
And  all  their  decretals  and  canons  are  insufficient,  ac- 
cording to  these  rules.  It  is  easy  for  any  heretic  to 
form  u^  his  error  into  other  words  than  those  con- 
demned by  pope  or  council:  and  if  you  go  again  to 
the  pope,  and  get  him  to  condemn  those  new  expres- 
sions, the  men  in  Mexico  may  use  them  long  to  the  det- 
riment of  the  souls  of  men,  before  the  damnatory  sen- 
tence be  brought  to  them.  And  when  it  comes  they 
can  again  word  their  heresy  anew.  The  Jansenists 
in  France  show  how  well  the  pope's  decision  of  wordy 
controversies  is  understood,  and  doth  not  avail.  But  if 
they  will  hold  that  no  part  of  the  pope's  laws  oblige 
hut  in  the  literal  sense,  or  that  none  offend  that  violate 


292  JESUIT 

not  the  letter,  they  will  make  a  great  alteration  in  their 
affairs.  Any  of  their  subjects  may  blaspheme  the  pope 
himself  in  French,  Dutch,  Irish,  English,  Slavonian, 
«&c.  because  he  forbids  it  only  in  Latin  ;  for  if  transla- 
tion be  not  God's  word  then  they  are  not  the  pope's 
word  neither.  A  pretty  crotchet  for  a  Jesuit !  It  is  said 
that  a  traitor  or  murderer  may  be  hanged  :  but  it  is  not 
said  that  such  or  such  a  man  shall  be  hanged  ;  or  that 
he  was  a  traitor  or  murderer.  Whitaker  Disput. 
Script.  Sac.   Quest.  2.  Cap.  10. 

Their  common  instance  is;  "The  Scripture  no 
where  calls  itself  the  whole  word  of  God ;  nor  no 
where  tells  us  which  be  the  canonical  books,  &c.  and 
yet  those  are  articles  of  faith."  The  Scripture  doth 
call  itself  the  word  of  God,  and  signifies  its  own  suffi- 
ciency, and  several  books  have  particular  testimonies  to 
be  canonical.  Though  secondarily  so  far  as  Scripture 
affirmeth  its  own  divinity,  it  should  be  believed  :  yet  pri- 
maril}',  that  this  is  God's  word,  and  that  these  are  the 
books,  and  that  they  are  not  corrupted,  nnd  that  they  are 
all,  &c.  are  points  of  knowledge  antecedent  in  order  of 
nature  to  divine  belief  of  them.  There  are  two  great 
foundations  antecedent  to  the  matter  of  divine  faith. 
The  one  is  God's  veracity;  that  God  cannot  lie:  the 
other  is,  his  revelation ;  that  this  is  God's  word:  the  first 
is  the  formal  object  of  faith.  The  second  is  a  neces- 
sary medium  between  the  formal  object  and  the  subject, 
without  which  there  is  no  possibility  of  believing.  The 
material  object  called  the  articles  of  faith,  presupposes 
both  these,  as  points  of  knowledge,  proved  to  us  by 
their  proper  evidence.  And  that  this  is  all  the  word  of 
God,  is  a  mere  consequence,  from  the  actual  tradition  of 
this  much  and  no  more. 

To  give  you  an  undeniable  illustration.  Let  us 
inquire  which  be  the  administering  laws  of  this  com- 
monwealth. We  shall  find  that  the  law-giver  is  none 
of  them  ;  for  that  is  in  the  constitution,  before  the  ad- 
ministration :  and  it  is  the  formal  object  of  every  law, 
which  is  more  noble  than  the  materi^il  object.  The 
promulgation  of  these  laws  is  not  itself  a  law;  but  a 
necessary  medium  to  the  actual  obligation  of  the  law. 
That  there  is  no  other  laws  but  these,  is  not  a  law; 
but  a  point  known  by  the  non-promulgation  of  more. 


JUODLING.  '^\)o 

That  all  these  laws  are  the  same  that  they  pretend  to 
be,  and  that  they  are  not  changed  or  depraved  since, 
this  is  not  a  law  neither,  but  a  truth  to  be  proved  by 
vommon  reason,  from  the  evidences  that  may  be  brought 
from  records,  practise,  and  abundance  more. 

So  is  it  in  our  case.     Tliat  God  is  true,  and  the  sov- 
'^reign  rector,  is  a  point  first  to  be  known  by  evidence, 
'he  one  being  the  I'ormal  object  of  faith,  and  the  other 
the  formal  object  of  obedience:  and  easily  proved  by 
natural  light  before  we  come  to  Scripture.      That  this 
is  God's  revelation,  or  promulgation  of  his  law,  is  a 
point  also  first  to  be  proved  by  reason;  not  before  we 
see  the  book  or  hear  the  word,  but  out  of  the  book  or 
doctrine   itself,  with  the   full   historical  evidence,  and 
many  other  reasons,  whirh  in  order  of  nature  lie  before 
our  obligation  to  believe.     So  that  this  is  not  primarily 
an  article  of  faith,  but  somewhat   hio-her  as  beino-  the 
necessary  medium  of  our  believing.     That  there  is  no 
other  law,  or  faith,  is  not  primarily  a  law  or  article  of 
faith,  but  a  truth  proved  by  the  non-revelation  or  pro- 
mulgation of  any  other   to   the   world.     He  that   will 
prove  us  obliged  to  believe  more,  must  prove  the  valid 
promulgation  or  revelation  of  more.     That  these  books 
are  the  same,  and  not  corrupted,  is  not  directly  and 
primarily  a  law  or  article  of  faith,  but  a  historical  ver- 
ity to  be  proved,  and  yet  Scripture  is  witnesss  to  all  or 
most  of  these,  and  so  they  are  of  faith. 

Thus  it  is  manifest,  that  it  is  an  unreasonable  de- 
mand of  the  Papists  to  call  for  express  Scripture,  for 
those  things  that  are  not  articles  of  faith  in  a  proper 
sense. 


CHAPTER     XXXV. 

Unfair  DisptUants. 

One  of  their  practical  deceits  consisteth  in  the  choos- 
ing of  such  persons  to  dispute  with,  against  whom  they 
find  that  ihey  have  some  notable  advantage. 

Commonly  they  deal  with  women  and  ignorant  peo- 

25* 


294  JESUIT 

pie  in  secret,  who  they  know  are  not  able  to  gainsay 
their  falsest  silliest  reasonings.  Naked  Popery  ;  error 
of  unvritten  Iradition. 

If  they  deal  with  a  iVIinister,  it  is  usually  with  one 
that  hath  some  at  least  of  these  disadvantages.    Either 
with   some  young  or  weak  unstudied  man,  that  is  not 
versed  in  their   way  of  controversy.     Or  one  that  is 
not  of  so  voluble  and  plausible  a  tongue  as   others. 
For  they  know  how  much  the  tonguing  and  toning  of 
the  matter   doth  take  with  the  common   people.      Or 
with  one  that  hath  a  discontented  people,  that  bear  him 
some  ill  will,  and  are  ready  to  hearken  to  any  one  that 
contradicteth  him.     Or  else  with  one  who  hath  fixed 
upon  some  unwarrantable  notions,  and   is  like  to  deal 
with  them  upon  terms  that  will  not  hold.     If  they  see 
one  hole  in  a  man's  way  of  arguing,  they  will  turn  all 
the  brunt  of  the  contention  upon  that,  as  if  the  discove- 
ry of  his  peculiar  error  or  weakness  were  the  confuta- 
tion of  his  cause.      None  give  them  greater  advantage 
there,  than  those  that  run  into  some  contrary  extreme. 
They  think  to  be  Orthodox  by  going  as  far  from  Pope- 
ry as  the  furthest.     About  many  notions  in  the  matter 
of  justification,   certainty  of  salvation,  the   nature    of 
Jaith,.the   use  of  works,   &c.  they  will  be  sure  to  go 
with  the   furthest.     A  .Jesuit   desires  no  better  sport, 
than  to  have  the  baiting  of  one  that  holds  any  such 
opinion,  as  he  knows  himself  easily  able  to  disgrace. 
One  unsound  opoinion  or  argument  is  a  great  disad- 
vantage to  the  most  learned  disputant.     Most  of  all  the- 
insultings  andsuccess  ofthe  Papists,  are  from  some  such 
unsound  passages  that  they  pick   up  from   some  wri- 
ters.    They  set  all  those  together,   and  tell  the  world 
that  this  is  the  Protestant  religion.     Just  as  if  I  should 
2;ive  the  descrintion   of  a  nobleman  from  all  the  blem- 
ishes  that  ever  I  saw  in   one  nobleman.     As  if  I  have 
seen  one    crook-backed,  another  blind,  another  lame, 
another   dumb,  another   deaf,  another  a  drunkard,  &c. 
I  should  say,  that  a  nobleman  is  a  drunkard,  that  hath 
neither  eyes,  nor  ears,  nor  limbs  to  bear  him,  &c.     So 
deal  they  by  protestants.      What  a  character  could  we 
give  of  Papists  on  those  terms? 

I  would  intreat  all  the  ministers  of  Christ  to  take 
heed  of  giving  them  any  such  advantage.     By  over- 


JUGGLING.  205 

doing,  and  running  to  far  into  contrary  extremes,  you 
will  sooner  advantage  them,  and  give  them  the  day, 
than  the  weakest  disputants  that  stand  on  safer  grounds. 
Inconsiderate  heat  and  self  conceitedness,  and  making 
a  faction  of  religion,  carry  many  into  extremes:  when 
judgment,  and  charity  and  experience,  are  all  for  stand- 
ing on  the  safe  ground. 


CHAPTER     XXXVI. 

Fraudulent  Divisions. 

Another  of  their  practical  frauds  is  this;  seeking 
to  divide  the  Protestants  among  themselves,  or  to 
break  them  into  sects,  or  poiso7i  the  ductile  sort  loiih 
heresies,  and  then  to  draw  them  to  some  odious  ]jrac- 
iices,  to  cast  a  disgrace  on  the  Protestant  cause. 

In  this  and  similar  hellish  practices,  they  have  been 
more  successful  than  in  all  their  disputations;  and  thus 
the  cause  of  hell  must  be  upheld. 

If  their  own  priests   are  to  be  believed,   Watson^s 
important  considerations,  Jesuits  have  set  many  nations 
in  those,  flames,  whose  cause  the  world  hath  not  ob- 
served.    John  Brown,  in  his  voluntary  confession  to  a 
committee  of  parliament,  said  ;  "  The  whole  Christian 
world  dotii  acknowledge  the  prediction  which  the  uni- 
versity of  Paris  did  foresee  in  two  several  decrees  they 
made  Anno  1565,  when  the  society  of  Jesuits  did  labor 
to  be  members  of  that  university  :     That  race  of  men  is 
born  for  the  destruction  of  Christianity  and  the  subver- 
sion of  literature."  They  were  the  only  cause  of  the  trou- 
bles which  fell  out  in  Muscovy,  when  under  pretence  of 
reducing  the  Latin  church,  and  plant  themselves,  and 
destroy  the  Greek  church,  King   Demetrius  and  his 
dueen,  and  those  that  followed  him  from  Poland,  were 
all  in  one  night  murdered  by  the  monstrous  usurper  of 
the  crown,  and  the  true  progeny  rooted  out.     They 
were  the  only  cause  that  moved  the  Swedes  to  take 
arms  against  their  lawful  King  Sigismund,  and  chased 
him  to  Poland:  and  neither  he  nor  his  successors  were 
ever  able  to  take  possession  of  Sweden.     For  the  Jes- 


'^96  JESUIT 

uits'  intention  was  to  bring  in  the  Romish  religion,  and 
root  out   Protestants.     They  were  the  only  cause  that 
moved  the  Polonians  to  take  arms  against  the  said  Sig- 
ismund,  because  they  had  persuaded  him  to  marry  two 
sisters,  one  after  the  other ;  both  of  the  house  of  Austria. 
They  have  been  the  sole  cause  of  the   war  entered  in 
Germany,  since  the  year  1619,  as   Pope  Paul  V.  told 
the  General  of  their    order,  Vicelescus :  for  their  ava- 
rice, pretending  to  take  all  the  church  lands  from  the 
Flussites  in  Bohemia  to  themselves,  which  hath  caused 
the  death   of  many  thousands  by  sword,   famine  and 
pestilence  in  Germany.     They  have  been  the  cause  of 
civil  wars  in  France,  during  all  which  time  moving 
the  French  King  to  take  arms  against  his  own  Protes- 
tant   subjects,  where    innumerable  people   have     lost 
their  lives,  as  the  seige  of  Rochelle  and  other  places 
give  sufficient  proof.     For  the  Jesuits'  intentions  were 
to  set  their  society  in  all  cities  and  towns  conquered  by 
the  king,  and  quite  to  abolish  the  Protestants.     They 
w^ere  the  cause  of  the  murder  of  the  last  king  of  France. 
They  were  the  only  projectors  of  the  gunpowder  trea- 
son, and  their  penitents  the  actors  thereof      They  were 
the  only  cause  that  incensed  the  pope  to  send  so  many 
fulminate  Bulls  to  these  kingdoms,  to  hinder  the  oath 
of  allegiance  and  lawful  obedience  to  their  temporal 
prince.     Their  damnable  doctrine  to  destroy  and   de- 
pose kings,    hath  been    the  cause  of  the  civil    wars, 
likely  to  befal  these  kingdoms,  if  God  in  mercy  do  not 
stop  it.     Prynne' s  Introduction. 

If  their  own  pens  are  to  be  credited,  those  very 
actions  of  the  Swedes,  Germans,  French,  which 
they  cast,  as  a  reproach  in  the  face  of  the  Protestant, 
as  you  may  see  in  a  book  called  The  Images  of  the 
two  Churches,  were  indeed  their  own  and  to  be  laid 
at  their  own  doors. 

How  far  they  were  the  causes  of  the  old  broils  in 
Scotland,  Knox  and  Spotswood  and  all  their  latter 
histories  will  tell  you. 

How  busy  they  were  in  England  in  Queen  Eliz- 
abeth's days,  the  pope's  Bulls,  and  the  many  treach- 
eries committed  signify.  Moulin'' s  answer  to  Philanax. 


'     JUCGLINO.  297 

C  U  A  V  T  I-:  R     X  X  X  V  11 . 

Popish  ConceAment. 

Another  practical  fraud  of  the  Paj)ist3  is,  In  hiding 
themselves  and  their  rcUgiun^  that  they  may  do  their 
work  ivith  the  more  advantage. 

I.  The  principal  means  by  which  they  conceal  them- 
selves is,  by  thrusting  themselves  into  all  sects  and  par- 
ties, and  putting  on  the  vizor  of  any  side,  as  their 
cause  rcquircth.  It  is  well  known  that  formerly  we 
had  abundance  of  them  that  went  under  the  name  of 
Protestants,  and  were  commonly  called  by  the  name  of 
Church  Papists:  but  there  is  great  reason  to  think  that 
there  are  more  such  now.  Some  of  them  are  prelatists, 
and  some  of  them  call  themselves  independents,  some 
creep  in  among  the  Baptists,  some  "o  under  the  cloak  of 
Arminians,  some  of  Socinians,  and  some  of  Millenians. 
They  animate  all  the  Jugglers  and  hiders  of  the  times. 
Thev  keep  life  in  libertinism,  and  infidelity  itselfl 
Among  every  one  of  tliose  parties  you  may  find  them, 
if  you  have  the  skill  of  unmasking  them. 

Another  way  of  hiding  themselves  is,  by  having  a 
dispensation  to  come  to  any  of  our  assemblies,  or  join 
in  worship  with  any  party  good  or  bad.  Or  else  they 
will  prove  it  lawful  without  a  dispensation,  where  the 
j>ope  interdicteth  it  not.  Their  way  is  this  :  all  the  old 
known  Papists,  especially  of  the  poorer  sort,  shall  bo 
forbidden  to  come  to  our  assemblies,  lest  they  bring  the 
blot  of  levity  and  temporizing  on  their  religion,  and 
lest  there  should  not  be  a  visible  party  among  them  to 
countenance  their  cause.  But  the  new  j)roselylcs,  espec- 
ially such  as  are  of  any  power  and  interest  in  the  world, 
and  may  do  them  more  service  in  a  masked  way,  and 
can  fairly  avoid  the  imputation  of  Popery,  those  shall 
have  leave  to  come  to  our  assemblies,  when  their  cause 
may  make  advantage  of  it.  That  you  may  see  I  feign 
not  all  this  of  them,  besides  the  proof  from  certain  ex- 
perience which  we  daily  see  ;  I  lay  before  you  the  de- 
cisions of  one  of  their  principal  directors,  in  this  work 
of  propagating  their  faith  ;  Thom  a  Jesu  de  Convcrs, 
Gentium.      How  far  they  are  for  favoring   of  heathens 


298  JESUIT 

and  infidels,  and  liberty  of  conscience  for  them,  for  all 
tlieir  cruelty  to  Protestants,  you  may  see;  Lib.  5.  Dub. 
4.  where  he  tells  you  that  the  sentence  commonly  re- 
ceived, in  the  schools  is,  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  Chris- 
tian princes  to  use  any  force  against  infidels,  for  sins 
against  the  law  of  nature  itself:  and  citeth  Cajet.  Vic- 
toria, Covarruv.  Greg  de  valent.  He  decides  it  in  the  . 
middle  way  of  Azorius,  "  that  pagans  may  not  be  pun- 
ished for  despising  the  honor  and  worship  of  God, 
though  they  may  for  not  giving  every  man  his  own, 
and  for  theft,  murder,  false  witness,  and  other  sins  that 
are  against  men's  right." 

Lib.  5.  part.  1.  Dub.  6.  he  teacheth,  that  "  a  catho- 
lic living  among  heretics  ma}',  when  the  scandalizing 
of  others  forbid  it  not,  for  fear  of  death,  go  to  the  tem- 
ples of  heretics,  and  be  among  them  in  their  meetings, 
and  assemblies^,  because  of  itself  it  is  a  thing  indifferent ; 
for  a  man  may  for  many  causes  go  to  the  temples  of 
heretics,  and  be  among  thorn  in  their  assemblies ; 
that  he  may  the  easier  and  more  effectually  and  com- 
modiously  confute  their  errors,  or  on  other  just  occa- 
sions, unless  accidentally  it  scandalize  others.  As  Azor- 
ius saith,  he  may  do  it  to  obey  a  prince,  though  he  be 
an  heretic,  when  he  feareth  the  loss  of  his  honor,  main- 
tenance or  life  :  for  in  this  he  only  obeyeth  his  prince  : 
especially  if  among  the  Papists  he  openly  affirm,  that 
he  doth  it  only  to  obey  his  prince,  and  not  to  profess 
the  heretical  sect :  for  by  that  open  attestation  he  avoid- 
eth  the  offence  and  danger  of  catholics,  and  well  de- 
clineth  the  unjust  vexation  of  the  prince." 

Papists  may  eat  ilesh  on  days  when  their  church  for- 
bids it,  to  hide  themselves  among  heretics."  Dub.  5. 
So  that  the  Papists  are  abundantly  provided  for  their 
security,  against  such  as  would  discover  them  when  it 
gtands  not  with  their  ends  to  disclose  themselves. 

Another  most  effectual  way  of  hiding  themselves  is, 
by  equivocation  or  mental  reservations,  which  we  call 
lying,  when  they  are  examined  about  their  religion,  their 
orders  or  their  actions.  Lying  that  hurtetli  not  another, 
they  maintain  to  be  but  a  venial  sin,  which  say  they 
is  properly  no  sin  at  all.  To  equivocate  or  reserve 
one  half  of  your  answer  to  yourselves,  say  the  Jes- 
uits is- not  lying,  nor  unlawful,  in  case  a  man's  interest 


JUGGLING.  299 

icqiiiretli  him  to  do  it^  Thnjiias  a  Jcsu  the  Cannclite, 
Dub.  4.  seciirclh  them  sufl'»cienlly  :  his  question  is ; 
"  Whether  one  tiiat  tlenyeth  it  when  he  is  asked  of  a 
heretic  wiietlicr  he  he  a  priest,  or  a  rclipfio\is  man  or 
whether  lie  heard  divine  service,  do  sin  against  the  con- 
fession of  faith  1"  lie  answereth  ;  No:  for  liiat  is  no 
denying  himself  to  he  a  Christian,  or  catholic  :  for  it 
is  lawful  to  dissemble  or  hide  the  person  of  a  clergy- 
nian  or  a  religious  man,  without  a  lie  in  words,  lest  a 
man  be  betrayed  and  in  danger  of  his  life ;  and  for  the 
same  cause  he  may  lay  by  his  liabit,  omit  prayers, 
&,c. — because  human  laws  for  the  most  part  bind  noi 
the  subject's  conscience,  when  there  is  great  hazard 
of  life  as  in  this  case  Azorius  hath  well  taught." 
Just.  Mor.  Tom.  1.  lib.  8.  c.  27.  So  that  by  the  con- 
sent of  most,  there  is  no  danger  to  a  Papist  in  any 
such  case  from  his  own  confession. 

Another  way  of  hiding  their  religion  and  them- 
selves, is  by  false  oaths,  which  we  call  wilful  perjury, 
but  the  Jesuits  take  for  a  lawful  thing,  when  a  mental 
reservation  or  equivocation  supplieth  the  want  of  ver- 
bal truth.  Who  will  ever  want  so  easy,  so  obvious, 
so  cheap  a  remedy  against  all  danger  of  perjury,  as  a 
mental  reservation  is '? 

The  pope  can  sufficiently  dispense  with  any  of 
their  oaths  of  fidelity  or  allegiance,.  Hear  the  words 
of  one  of  their  owji  priests — Brown's  Voluntary  Con- 
fess, in  Pri/nnc's  Introducf.  He  saith  ;  "It  is  strange 
to  see  the  stratagems  which  they  use  with  their  pen- 
itents concerning  the  oath  of  allegiance  !  If  they  be 
poor,  they  tell  them  flatly  when  they  are  demanded 
to  take  the  oath,  that  it  is  damnable  and  no  ways  to 
be  allowed  by  the  church :  If  they  be  of  the  richer 
sort,  they  say  they  may  do  as  their  conscience  will 
inspire  them.  And  there  be  some  of  them  that  make 
no  conscience  at  all,  to  have  it  taken  so  oft  as  they 
are  demanded.  What  would  you  have  more,  than  such 
discoveries  by   themselves  1 

II.  What  get  they  by  this  hiding?  WHiy  screen  them- 
selves from  danger,  and  more  easily  prevail  to  muln- 
ply  their  sect :  for  worldly  persons  would  not  so 
easily  flock  into  them  without  some  such  security 
from   suffering.     They  preserve  those  that   are   come 


300  JESUIT 

over  to  them  from  revolting,  by  the  discouragement  of 
suffering,  especially  the  rich  and  honorable.  They  an- 
gle for  souls  with  the  less  suspicion,  when  they  stand 
behind  the  bush.  Papists  are  become  so  distasted 
with  the  people  by  the  powder  plot,  and  many  other 
of  their  pranks,  that  they  may  take  more  with  them, 
if  they  come  masked  under  another  name.  By  tliis 
means  they  may  openly  revile  and  oppose  the  min- 
istry, and  ordinances,  churches,  and  Protestant  doc- 
trine, without  disturbance  by  the  magistrate.  A  Pa- 
pist in  a  Protestant's  coat  may  rail  at  us  and  our 
doctrine  in  the  open  streets,  and  market  place,  and 
call  us  all  to  naught,  and  teach  abundance  of  their  own 
opinions  without  control.  And  many  a  poor  soul  will 
take  a  Papist  into  their  bosom,  and  familiarly  hear  him, 
and  easily  swallow  down  what  they  say,  that  would  be 
afraid  of  them  if  he  knew  them  to  be  Papists.  By  this 
means  they  have  easier  access  to  a  greater  number  than 
openly  they  could  have  :  and  they  insinuate  into  our 
c<3unsels,  and  know  all  our  ways,  and  how  to  resist  us. 
But  above  all,  by  this  means  they  are  capable  of  any 
office  and  trust  among  us.  It  is  easy  therefore  to  discern 
that  their  principal  artifice  lyeth  in  hiding  themselves, 
so  there  be  a  visible  body  of  their  open  professors ; 
those  deceivers  who  have  such  stretching  consciences. 

III.  But  how  shall  these  hiders  be  detected"?  Suspect 
all  tliat  use  a  mask,  and  purposely  hide  their  minds.  A 
man  that  intendeth  deceit,  what  ever  his  end  be,  should 
not  take  it  ill  to  be  suspected  for  a  deceiver.  God  is 
so  good  a  master  that  no  body  should  be  ashamed  of 
him.  Truth  is  so  amiable,  that  the  genuine  sons  of 
truth  are  not  ashamed  of  it.  True  religion  assureth 
men  of  that  which  will  save  them  harmless,  and  bear  out 
against  all  the  malice  of  earth  and  hell,  and  repair  all 
the  losses  that  they  can  sustain  in  the  defending  of  it. 
But  saith  one  ;  "Would  you  not  hide  your  mind  or  re- 
ligion in  Spain  ?  "  I  would  not  whenever  I  found  my- 
self capable  of  serving  God  most  by  the  discovery,  not 
make  use  of  positive  juggling  and  dissembling  to  hide 
my  religion.  If  Christians  among  infidels,  or  Protes- 
tants among  Papists,  had  thought  this  dissimulation 
lawful,  there  had  not  been  so  many  thousands  of  them 
martyred  or  murdered  as  were.     What  opinion  is  it  that 


JUGOLINC.  301 

brings  men  in  England  into  any  great  danger  at  this 
(\a.Y?  I  will  never  be  of  a  religion  that  is  not  worthy 
my  open  confession  ;  even  to  death,  when  there  j.s  .so 
much  danger. 

The  juggling  Papists  may  be  known  thus,  that  they 
are  always  loosening  people  from  their  religion,  and 
leading  them  into  a  dislike  of  what  they  have  been 
taught;  that  they  may  be  receptive  of  their  new  im- 
pressions. 

The  juggling  Papists  may  be  much  detected  by  this, 
that  they  are  all  upon  the  destructive  part  in  their 
disputes,  and  very  little  on  the  assertive  part.  They 
pull  down  with  both  hands,  but  tell  you  not  what  they 
build  up,  till  they  have  prepared  you  for  the  discovery. 
They  tell  you  what  they  are  against :  but  what  they 
are  for,  you  cannot  draw  out  of  them.  As  if  any  wise 
man  will  leave  his  house  or  grounds  till  he  knows 
where  to  be  better :  or  will  forsake  his  staff  that  he 
leaneth  on,  or  the  food  that  he  feedeth  on,  till  he  know 
where  to  have  a  better  provision  or  support.  Do  they 
think  wise  men  will  be  made  irreligious?  They  deal 
by  the  poor  people,  as  one  that  should  say  to  passen- 
gers on  shipboard;  "What  fools  are  you  to  venture 
your  lives  in  such  a  ship  that  hath  so  much  incumb- 
rance- and  danger,  and  so  many  flaws,  and  but  a  few 
inches  between  you  and  death,  and  is  guided  by  such 
a  pilot  as  may  betray  you,  or  cast  away  your  lives  for 
aught  you  know  ?'^  They  know  now  that  none  but 
mad  men  v/ill  be  persuaded  by  such  words  as  those  to 
leap  into  the  sea  to  escape  those  dangers ;  and  there- 
fore they  do  this  but  to  make  men  willing  to  pass  into 
their  ship,  and  take  them  for  their  pilots.  If  you  are 
wise  therefore  hold  them  to  it,  till  they  have  shewed 
you  a  safer  vessel  and  pilot. 

You  may  conjecture  the  quality  of  those  jugglers,  by 
their  constant  opposition  against  the  ministry.  It  is 
ministers  that  are  their  eye-sore ;  the  hinderers  of  their 
kingdom.  Could  they  but  get  down  those,  the  day 
were  their  own.  Therefore  their  main  business,  what- 
ever vizor  they  put  on,  is  to  bring  the  people  mto  a 
dislike  or  contempt  of  the  ministry.  They  will  rail 
at  them. 

26 


302  JESUIT 

The  juggling  Papists,  what  vizor  soever  they  wear, 
are  commonly  putting  in  the  necessity  of  a  judge  of  con- 
troversies, an  infallible  church,  a  state  of  perfection  here, 
and  the  magnifying  of  our  own  inherent  righteous- 
ness, without  justification  by  the  forgiveness  of  sin : 
and  oppose  the  authority  and  sufficiency  of  Scripture  ; 
which  they  impugn,  and  lead  men  aside  to  another  rule, 
the  Papal  traditions. 


CHAPTER     XXXVIII, 

Jesuit  Proselytism  of  men  of  Wealth  and  Influence. 

Another  of  their  practical  frauds  is;  their  exceed- 
ing industry  for  the  jperverting  of  men  of  power  and 
interest,  that  are  likely  to  do  much  in  helping  or  hin- 
dering them. 

\  Be  not  too  confident  of  your  own  understandings 
to  deal  with  such  jugglers  in  your  own  strength,  with- 
out assistance.  They  have  made  it  their  study  all 
their  days,  and  are  purposely  trained  up  to  deceive . 
whereas  you  are  much  wanting  in  their  way  of  study, 
and  much  unfurnished  to  resist,  how  highly  soever 
you  may  think  of  yourselves. 

2.  Read  learned  solid  writings  against  the  Papists. 

3.  Hearken  not  to  Papists  secretly,  nor  masked,  nor 
coming  to  you  by  indirect  and  juggling  ways :  but 
open  their  persuasions,  and  call  to  some  able  studied 
divines  to  deal  with  them  in  your  hearing,  if  needs  you 
will  hear  them,  that  so  you  may  hear  one  side  as  well 
as  the  other. 

4.  Take  heed_,!  what  retainers,  servants,  or  familiars 
are  about  you.  We  fear  not  any  thing  that  they  can 
do  in  an  open  way,  in  comparison  of  their  secret  whis- 
pers and  deceits,  when  there  is  no  body  to  gainsay 
them.  Had  they  the  truth,  we  should  be  glad  to  en- 
tertain it  with  them.  Let  not  all  our  peace  and  safety 
be  hazarded  by  the  self  conceitedness,  or  imprudence 
of  our  rulers.  Seeing  it  is  you  that  must  govern  us 
or  set  the  vulgar  the  pattern  which  they  are  so  much 


JUGGLING  303 

addicted  to  imitate;  wc  adjure  you  in  the  name  of  the 
most  High  God,  that  you  hearken  not  to  seducers,  and 
•corrupt  tliosc  intellects  in  which  the  whole  nation  hath 
so  great  an  interest,  We  are  willing  to  be  as  chan 
table  to  that  proud  throne  of  Rome,  and  usurping 
Vice-Christ,  as  will  stand  with  the  safety  of  our  souls 
and  of  the  church.  But  God  forbid  that  v/e  should 
be  so  blind,  as  to  run  into  their  pest-house,  and  drink 
the  poison  by  which  they  are  intoxicated. 


CHAPTER     XXXIX 

Popish  Pet-jury  and  Treason. 

The  most  desperate  of  their  practical  frauds  is  this , 
Their  treasons  against  the  lives  of  'princes,  and  the 
peace  of  nations,  and  their  dissolving  the  bonds  of  oaths 
and  covenants,  and  making  perjury  and  rebellion 
duties  and  meritorious  ivorks. 

Horrid  treason  and  tyrannical  usurpation  over  all  ihe 
Christian  Princes  caused  England,  Denmark,  Sweden, 
and  many  other  princes  to  shake  off  the  Roman  yoke. 
Kings  are  not  fully  kings  where  the  Pope  is  fully 
Pope. 

I  need  not  tell  the  many  treacheries  since  the  refor- 
motion  against  our  princes  :  or  who  it  was  that  would 
have  deposed  as  well  as  excommunicated  Queen  Eliz- 
abeth, and  exposed  her  kingdoms  to  the  will  of  others 
or  who  were  the  actors  of  the  hellish  powder  plot. 
Do  I  need  to  mention  their  approving  of  the  murdering 
of  princes  and  the  pretence  of  power  to  dispense  with 
oaths  of  allegiance  and  fidelity,  and  who  hath  actually 
so  oft  pretended  to  expose  princes  and  their  dominions 
to  the  first  occupant?  Many  in  England  disowned 
that  doctrine  :  but  the  pope  having  owned  and  practis- 
ed it;  by  disowning  it  they  disown  popery  itself.  It  is 
an  article  of  their  faith;  and  essential  to  their  religion, 
and  is  determined  by  a  pope  and  the  approved  general 
council  at  Lateran  under  Pope  Innocent  III. 

Albineus  the  Jesuit  heard  the  murderer  of  Henry 


304  JESUIT 

IV.  confess  before  he  did  the  fact,  and  put  off  the  exam- 
iners with  this  answer,  that  God  had  given  him  that 
special  gift  to  forget  when  once  he  had  absolved  a  sin 
ner  whatsoever  was  confessed  by  him.  Why  was  it 
that  France  expelled  the  Jesuits  and  set  up  a  pillar  of 
remembrance  of  their  villanies,  till  Henry  IV.  grati- 
fied the  Pope  by  calling  them  in  again,  and  told  the 
Parliament  the  peril  of  it  should  be  upon  him  and 
so  it  was;  for  it  cost  him  his  life.  Why  did  the  same 
Parliament  of  Paris,  Novemb.  1610,  condemn  Bellar- 
min's  book  against  Barclay,  as  an  engine  of  treason  and 
rebellion?  And  the  Theological  faculty  of  Paris, 
April  4.  1626,  condemned  Santarell's  book  as  guilty 
of  the  same  villany,  stirring  up  people  to  rebellion  and 
kinor-killinir:  which  the  university  confirmed  :  while 
the  Parliament  condemned  the  book  to  be  burnt. 

Rivet  recites  of  the  answers  of  the  Jesuits  in  Paris, 
when  the  Parliament  asked  them  their  judgment  of 
that  book:  seeing:  their  general  had  approved  the  book, 
and  judged  the  things  that  are  there  written  to  be  cer- 
tain, whether  the}'-  were  of  the  same  mind  ?  They  an- 
swered, that,  "  living  at  Rome  he  could  not  but  approve 
what  was  there  approved  of."  But  say  the  Parliament: 
What  think  you  ?  say  the  Jesuits,  "  the  contrary.''  Say 
the  examiners,  but  what  would  you  do  if  you  were  at 
Rome  ?  Say  the  Jesuits,  "that  which  they  do  who  are 
at  Rome.''  At  which  said  some  of  the  Parliament, 
have  thev  one  conscience  at  Rome,  and  another  at 
-Paris  .''     God  deliver  us  from  such  confessors  as  those. 

But  some  of  the  Papists  say  that  private  men  may 
not  kill  a  king  till  he  be  deposed.  Very  true  !  But  it 
iS  their  doctrine,  that. if  once  he  be  excommunicated, 
he  is  then  no  king,  or  if  he  be  an  heretic;  and  so 
bem^  no  king,  they  may  kill  the  man,  and  not  kill  the 
king.  Suarez  advers.  Sect.  Anglic,  lib.  6.  ca'p.  4. 
Sect.  14.  Co.p.  6.  Sect.  22,  24.  Azorius  Jcsuita  Instil. 
Moral,  'part.  1.  Z.  8.  c.  13.  Mysterium  Patrum  Jesui- 
farvm.  Janseaian^s  mystery  of  Jesuitism.  Abbot's 
Antilogia  ad  Apolog.  Eudccmojohan.  But  what  need 
we  more  than  the  decrees  of  a  pope  and  general  coun- 
cil, and  the  practice  of  the  church  of  Rome  for  ?o  many 


JUGGLING  "305 

For  the  pope's  power  to  absolve  from  all  oaths  of 
allegiance  and  ficlelity,  Pope  Innocent  III.  and  his 
approved  general  council  have  told  the  world  enough 

The  Papists  have  lately  had  the  confidence  to  atfirm 
that  the  powder  plot  and  the  Spanish  invasion  in  1588, 
were  not  a  quarrel  of  religion,  nor  owned  by  the  pope. 

Cardinal  Ossatus  in  his  87.  Epist.  to  Villeroy,  tells 
us  that  Pope  Clement  VIII,  pressed  the  King  of  France 
to  join  with  Spain  in  the  invasion  of  Eng-land,  and  the 
cardinal  answered  that  the  king  was  tied  by  an  oath 
to  the  Queen  of  England  :  to  which  the  pope  replied, 
that  "  The  oath  was  made  to  a  heretic,  but  he  was 
bound  in  another  oath  to  God  and  the  pope;  that  kings 
and  other  princes  do  permit  themselves  all  things  which 
make  for  their  commodity;  and  that  the  matter  is  gone 
so  far  that,  that  it  is  not  imputed  to  them,  or  taken  for 
their  fault :  and  he  alleged  the  saying  of  Francis  Duke 
of  Urbin,  that  indeed  every  one  doth  blame  a  noble- 
man, or  great  man  that  is  no  sovereign,  if  he  keep 
not  his  covenants,  or  fidelity,  and  they  account  him  in- 
famous;  but  supreme  princes  may  without  any  danger 
of  their  reputation,  make  covenants  and  break  them, 
lie,  betray,  and  perpetrate  other  such  like  things  " 
That  was  Pope  Clement  VI I L  Can  we  look  for  better 
from  the  rest? 

Thuanus  a  moderate  Papist  and  impartial  historian, 
tells,  lib.  89.  p.  248,  249,  an.  15S8.  that,  "the  Spaniards 
pretended  to  undertake  the  expedition  only  for  relig- 
ion's sake,  and  therefore  took  with  them  Alarco  vicar 
general  of  the  Holy  Inquisition,  with  Capuchins  and 
Jesuits  :  and  that  they  had  with  them  the  Pope's  Bull, 
which  they  were  to  publish  as  soon  as  they  landed; 
and  that  cardinal  Allan  was  appointed  as  the  pope's 
legate,  to  land  at  the  same  time,  and  with  full  power 
to  see  to  the  restorinf?  of  relio-ion.  That  the  said  bull 
had  these  expressions.  '  The  pope,  by  the  power  given 
from  God  by  lawful  succession  of  the  catholic  church, 
for  the  defection  of  Henry  VIII.  who  forcibly  sepa- 
rated himself  and  his  people  from  the  communion  of 
Christians,  which  was  promoted  by  Edward  VI.  and 
Elizabeth,  who  being  pertinacious  and  impenitent  in 
the  same  rebellion  and  usurpation — therefore  the  poT[}e 

25* 


;-)ti6  JESUIT 

jnciicd  by  the  continual  persuasions  of  n^any,  and  by 
the  suppliant  prayers  of  the  Englishmen  themselves, 
hath  dealt  with  divers  princes,  and  specirally  the  most 
potent  King  of  Spain — to  depose  that  v/oman,  and  pun- 
ish her  pernicious  adherents  in  their  kingdom.' 
That  Pope  Sixtus  before  proscribed  the  Q,ueen,  and 
took  from  her  all  her  dignities,  titles,  and  rights  to  the 
Kingdom  of  England  and  Ireland,  absolving  her  sub- 
jects from  the  oath  of  fidelity  and  obedience:  he  charg- 
eth  all  men  on  pain  of  the  wrath  of  God,  that  they  afford 
her  no  favor,  help,  or  aid,  but  use  all  their  strength 
to  bring  her  to  punishment ;  and  then  that  all  the  En- 
glish join  with  the  Spaniards  as  soon  as  he  is  landed  : 
offering  revrards  and  pardon  for  sin,  to  them  that  will 
lay  hands  on  the  Queen  ;  and  so  shewing  on  what 
conditions  he  gave  the  Kingdom  to  Philip  of  Spain.'* 

Yet  some  of  the  jugglers  that  say  they  are  no  Papists, 
persuade  the  world  that  Papists  hold  not  the  deposing 
of  princes,  nor  absolving  their  subjects  from  the  oaths 
of  fidelity  and  that  the  Spanish  invasion  was  merely 
on  civil  accounts,  and  that  they  expected  not  any  En- 
glish Papists  to  assist  them. 

Dominicus  Ba'/ines  in  Thorn.  22.  qu.  12.  art.  2.  saith, 
•'  Quando  adest  Evide?is  notitio.,  &c.  when  there  is  evi- 
dent knowledge  of  the  crime,  subjects  may  lawfully 
exempt  themselves  from  the  power  of  their  princes,  be- 
fore any  declaratory  sentence  of  a  judge,  so  they  have 
but  strength  to  do  it.  Hence  it  follows  that  the  faithful 
Papists  of  England  and  Saxony  are  to  be  excused,  that 
do  not  free  themselves  from  the  power  of  their  superi- 
ors, nor  make  war  against  them  :  because  commonly 
they  are  not  strong  enough  to  manage  those  wars,  and 
great  dangers  hang  over  them."  You  may  see  now 
how  far  the  Papists  are  to  be  trusted  :  even  as  far  a? 
they  are  sufficiently  disabled. 

August.  Triumphus  saith,  de  potest.  Eccles.  qu.  46. 
art.  2.  "  Duhium  no^i  c^t  quhipapapossit  omnes  reges. 
cvm  .^ubest  causa  ratio7f.abiIis,  deponere :  there  is  no 
doubt  but  the  pope  may  depose  all  kings,  when  there 
iS  reasoriable  cause  for  it "  Is  not  this  a  Vice-Christ 
and  a  Vice-God  ? 

Add  to  this,  that  th^  pope^is  judge  when  the  cause 


JUGGLING.  307 

is  reasonable,  far  no  doubt  he  must  judjc,  if  he  must 
e.xecute  ;  and  then  you  have  a  pope  in  his  universal 
sovereignty,  spiritual  and  temporal. 

Suarez  and  others  say;  when  the  pope  hath  deposed 
a  king,  any  man  may  kill  him.  Mariana  directs  to 
poison  him  or  secretly  despatch  him  :  dc  reg  instit^ 
Lib.  1.  caj).  7.  Suarez  says;  Defens.  fid.  Cat  hoi.  li.  6. 
c.  4.  sect.  14.  ''Post  se/itentiarn,  &c.  After  sentence 
past  he  is  altogether  deprived  of  his  kingdom,  so 
that  he  cannot  by  just  title  possess  it:  therefore  from 
thence  forward  he  may  be  handled  as  a  mere  tyrant; 
and  consequently  any  private  man  may  kill  him  " 

I  conclude  with  one  testimony  of  a  Roman   Rabbi, 
cited  by  Usher,  Epistol.  J.  R.  1609,  who  hath  excused 
the  powder-plot  from  the  imputation  of  cruelty,  "be- 
cause  both    seeds  and  root  of  an  evil  herb  must  be 
destroyed,"  and  adds  a  derision  of  the  simplicity  of 
the  king  in  imposing  on  them  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
in  the  most  memorable  expressions,  worthy  to  be  en- 
graven on  a  marble  pillar.     "  Sed  vide  in  tanta  astutia, 
quanta  sit  simplicitas !  &c.     But  see  what  simplicity 
here  is  in  so  great  a  craft !     When  he  had  placed  all 
his  security  in  that  oath  ;  he  thought  he   had   framed 
such  a  manner  of  oath,  with  so  many  circumstances, 
which  no  man  could  any  way  dissolve  with  a  safe  con- 
science.    But  he  could  not  see,  that  if  the   pope  dis- 
solved the  oath,  all  its  knots,  whether  of  being  faithful 
to  the  king  or  admitting   no  dispensation,  are  accor- 
dingly dissolved.     I  will  say  a  thing  even  more  admi- 
rable. You  know  I  believe,  that  an  unjust  oath,  if  it  be 
evidently  known  to  be  such,  or  openly  declared  such, 
obligeth  no   man.     That  the  king's  oath  is  unjust,  is 
sufficiently  declared  by  the  pastor  of  the  church  him- 
self.    You  see  now  that  the  obligation  of  it  is  vanished 
into   smoke,  and  that  the  bond  which  so  many  wise 
men  thought  was  made  of  iron,  is  less  than  straw." 
These  are  the  words  of  Papists  themselves 
Renounce  your  treacherous  principles,  and  we  will 
cease  to  charge  you  with  them.     Let  a  general  coun- 
cil and  pope  but  decree  the  contrary  to  what  the  fore- 
cited  pope  and  general  council  have  decreed;  or  else 
do  you  all  declare  that  you  think  that  pope  and  coun- 


308  JESUIT 


cil  erred,  and  then  you  will  either  cease  to  be  true  Pa 
pists,  or  at  least  become  tolerable  members  of  human 
societies.  Why  doth  not  the  pope  himself  condemn 
those  doctrines,  if  really  he  disowns  them  ? 


CHAPTER     XL. 

Popish  Persecution  and  Slaughter. 

Their  last  course  when  all  others  fail,  is,  to  turn 
from  fro.ud  to  force,  and  o'pen  violence,  stirring  up 
princes  to  wars  and  bloodshed;  that  they  may  destroy 
the  professors  of  the  reformed  religon,  as  far  as  they 
are  able,  and  do  that  by  flames  and  sword,  by  halters 
and  hatchets,  which  they  cannot  do  by  argument. 
Hence  have  proceeded  the  bloody  butcheries  of  the 
Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  the  wars  in  Bohemia,  the 
league  and  wars  and  Massacres  in  France,  the  desola- 
ting wars  of  Germany,  the  plots,  invasions  and  wars 
m  England.  Most  of  the  flames  in  Christendom  have 
been  kindled  for  the  pope  by  his  agents,  that  he  might 
warm  him  by  that  fire  by  which  others  are  consumed. 
Hence  his  own  pretences  to  the  temporal  sword,  and 
so  many  volumes  written  to  justify  it,  and  so  many 
tragedies  acted  in  the  execution.  Yet  these  men  cry 
up  antiquity  and  tradition.  What  bishop  in  all  the 
world  for  above  three  hundred  years  after  Christ,  did 
ever  claim  or  exercise  the  temporal  sword,  as  much  as 
to  be  a  justice  of  peace?  It  was  their  judgment  that 
It  did  not  belong  to  them.  Neither  the  pope  nor  any 
bishop  on  earth,  as  such,  hath  anything  to  do  with  the 
coercive  power  of  the  sword;  nor  may  not  inflict  the 
smallest  penalty  on  body  or  purse,  but  only  guide  men 
by  the  word  of  God ;  and  the  utmost  penalty  they  can 
inflict  is,  to  excommunicate  them.  They  have  nothing 
to  do  to  destroy  men,  when  they  have  excommunicated 
them,  nor  to  cause  the  magistrate  to  do  it :  but  rather 
should  still  endeavor  their  conversion.  Synesius  Epis- 
tol.  57.  Why  doth  not  the  pope  when  he  hath  past 
his   excouimunications,  content  himself  that   he  hath 


JUGGLING.  309 

done  his  part:  but  he  must  excite  princes,  and  force 
them  to  execute  his  rage,  and  fall  upon  the  lives  and 
dominions  of  such  princes  as  he  will  call  heretical? 
He  knows  how  small  account  would  be  made  of  his 
thunder-bolts,  if  he  had  not  a  secular  arm  to  follow  them. 
If  it  were  not  for  arms  and  violence,  lie  would  soon  be 
cast  out  by  the  Christian  world. 

The  same  doctrine  also  Bernard  taught  the  pope 
himself,  Ad  Eiigeu.  P.  R.  dc  Considerat.  I  2.  ''Quid 
tibi  dimisit  Apostolus?  &c.  What  did  the  holy  apos- 
tle leave  thee?  Such  as  I  have,  saith  he,  that  give  I 
to  thee  ;  and  what  was  that  ?  One  thing  J  am  sure  of; 
it  was  not  gold,  nor  silver,  when  he  said  himself,  sil- 
ver and  gold  have  I  none.  It  thou  canst  claim  this 
by  any  other  title,  so  let  it  be;  but  not  by  apostolical 
right:  for  he  could  not  give  thee  that  which  he  had 
not :  such  as  he  had,  he  gave,  a  care  of  the  churches, 
but  did  he  give  thee  a  domination  ?  Hear  himself.  Nci 
as  lords  or  ruling  lords,  saith  he,  in  the  heritage,  but 
as  examples  of  the  flock.  And  lest  thou  think  that  he 
spoke  it  only  in  humility,  and  not  in  verity,  it  is  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  himself  in  the  Gospel :  the  kings  of 
the  Gentiles  rule  over  them,  and  they  that  have  power 
over  them,  are  called  benefactors,  but  you  shall  nor 
be  so.  It  is  plain  that  domination  is  forbidden  the 
Apostles.  Go  thou  therefore,  and  usurp  ifthoudar- 
est,  either  apostleship  whilst  thou  rulest  as  a  Lord  ;  or 
a  Lordly  domination,  while  thou  ar  t  Apostolic.  Plainly 
thou  art  forbidden  one  of  the  two :  U  thou  wilt  have 
both  alike,  thou  losest  both."  Thus  the  pope  and  his 
bishops  are  deprived  of  both,  by  grasping  at  both  lone- 
ago 

The  pope  makes  himself  a  temporal  prince  in  every 
prince's  dominion  on  earth,  where  he  is  able  to  do  it. 
and  takes  all  the  clergy  out  of  their  government  into 
his  own.  So  that  actually  he  hath  dispossessed  them 
of  part  of  their  dominion  already,  by  taking  so  consid- 
erable a  part  of  their  subjects  from  under  their  power. 
If  any  believe  not  that  th-.'  pope  doth  not  thus  exempt 
his  clergy  from  the  secular  power,  it  is  because  he 
knows  not  their  most  notorious  principles  and  practi- 
se.'=^      Even  in  England,  in   King- Charles' articles  for 


310  JESTJIT 

the  Spanish  match,  the  pope  had  the  confidence  to  de- 
mand that  prerogative  ;  and  therefore  himself  added  to 
the  sixteenth  article,  which  freed  them  from  laws 
about  religion,  "  ecclesiastic  persons  shall  be  under  no 
law,  but  of  their  superior  ecclesiastics^  So  that  no 
church-man  must  be  under  any  law  of  the  land,  or 
government  of  secular  princes.  When  they  have 
such  a  strength  in  our  own  garrison,  a  foreign  enemy 
is  easily  lei  in.  To  the  exciting  of  whom  they  will 
never  be  wanting,  having  their  agents,  in  one  garb  or 
other,  at  the  ears  of  all  the  princes  and  states  in  Chris- 
tendom, and  of  most  of  the  persons  that  are  deeply 
interested  in  the  government.  With  infidel  princes 
sometimes,  as  Cyril  the  Patrick  of  Constantinople  proved 
to  the  loss  of  his  life,  for  being  so  much  against  the 
Papists.  The  more  cause  have  all  Christian  princes 
and  states  to  be  vigilant  against  those  incendiaries  ; 
because  they  trust  to  war  and  violence,  and  build  their 
kingdom  on  it,  and  therefore  study  it  day  and  night. 
Because  they  have  Jesuits  all  abroad  continually  upon 
the  design ;  whose  contrivances  and  endeavors  are 
day  and  night  to  bring  nations  to  their  will,  and  to 
kindle  divisions  and  wars  among  them  to  attain  their 
ends.  If  the  Papists  can  but  deceive  the- rulers,  they 
will  give  us  leave  to  dispute,  and  write,  and  preach 
against  them,  and  laugh  at  us  that  will  stand  talking 
only,  while  they  are  working :  and  when  the  sword 
is  in  their  hand,  they  will  soon  answer  all  our  argu- 
ments, with  a  fagot,  a  hatchet,  or  halter.  Smithfield 
confuted  the  Protestants,  that  both  the  universities 
could  not  confute.  Their  inquisition  is  a  school  where 
they  dispute  more  advantageously  than  in  academies. 
Though  all  the  learned  men  in  the  world  could  not 
confute  the  poor  Albigenses,  Waldenses  and  Bohemi- 
ans, jret  by  those  iron  arguments  they  had  men  that 
presently  stopped  the  mouths  of  hundred  thousands  of 
them :  even  as  Mohammedans  confute  the  Christians. 
A  strappado  is  a  knotty  argument.  In  how  few  days, 
did  they  confute  thirty  thousand  Huguenots  in  and 
about  Paris,  till  they  left  them  not  a  word  to  say?  In 
how  few  weeks  space  did  the  ignorant  Irish  thus  stop 
the  mouths  of  two  hundred  thousand  Protestants  ?  Even 


JUGGLING.  311 

in  Ulster  alone,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
men  were  mortally  silenced.  Alas  i  many  of  the  poor 
Irish  know  little  more  of  Christ,  but  that  he  is  abetter 
man  than  Saint  Patrick.  How  long  might  they  have 
been  before  they  could  have  silenced  so  many  Protes- 
tants any  other  way  ?  There  is  nothing  like  stone- 
dead  with  a  Papist.  They  love  not  to  tire  themselves 
with  disputes,  when  the  business  may  be  more  success- 
ful dispatched. 

Seeing  this  is  the  way  that  they  are  resolved  on, 
and  no  peaceable  motions  will  serve  for  the  preventing 
it,  all  men  that  have  any  care  of  the  church  and  cause 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  happiness  of  their  posterity, 
have  cause  to  stand  on  their  watch  guard  :  Not  to  be 
cruel  to  them,  but  to  be  secured  from  their  cruelty. 
Let  them  have  the  rule,  and  then  make  the  best  you 
can  of  your  arguments.  If  they  can  once  get  Protes- 
tant countries,  into  the  case  of  Spain  and  Italy,  their 
treachery  shall  not  be  cast  in  their  teeth;  for  they  will 
leave  none  alive  and  at  liberty  to  do  it. 

Therefore  in  the  name  of  God  be  vigilant,  and 
watch  for  the  security  of  the  chureh  as  those  that  must 
give  account.  Let  all  that  love  the  Gospel,  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  Christian  world,  and  of  their  poster- 
ity, have  their  eyes  in  their  heads,  and  take  heed  of 
that  bloody  hand,  that  hath  already  spilled  so  many 
streams  of  Christian  blood. 

Some  think  that  it  is  their  safest  way  to  please  the 
pope  and  Jesuits,  and  so  will  be  Papists  on  the  same 
terms  that  some  of  the  Indians  worship  the  devil,  be- 
cause he  is  so  naught,  that  he  may  not  hurt  them.  But 
those  men  were  wiser,  if  they  understood,  that  the  ma- 
lice of  infernal  spirits  is  not  to  be  avoided  by  pleasing 
them,  but  by  resisting  them.  They  are  too  bad  to  be 
ever  pleased  by  any  means,  but  what  will  be  utter  ruin. 
■They  are  not  stronger  than  the  devil  himself,  who  will 
fly  if  we  resist  him.  If  the  best  were  not  the  most 
powerful,  what  would  become  of  the  world  ?  If  God 
be  stronger  than  the  devil,  he  should  rather  be  pleased 
than  the  devil ;  for  he  is'able  to  defend  you  from  the 
devil's  displeasure  :  and  he  is  mqst  .able',  to  hurt  you 
if  you  be  despisers  of  iiis  pQw^r.vwH>a>;jueitice  will 

'       '•        •>>  ••'>•*.     46> 


312  JErfUIT 

effect  more  certainly  on  the  bad,  than  satan's  malice 
:an  do  upon  the  good.  Men  think  themselves  wise, 
that  shift  for  their  safety  by  carnal  and  unlawful  means : 
but  they  shall  all  find  at  last,  that  honesty  is  the  best 
policy,  and  the  favor  of  God  the  best  security,  a  life  of 
faith  the  most  prudent  life ;  and  that  shifting  for  your- 
selves in  unbelieving  ways  is  the  greatest  folly.  It  is 
the  design  of  the  Papists  to  terrify,  that  none  may  dare 
to  resist  them,  but  may  see  that  they  have  no  hold  of 
their  lives  while  they  are  under  their  displeasure.  But 
such  as  have  most  displeased  thern  have  escaped  best. 
Henry  IV.  of  France,  being  persuaded  to  stand  out 
against  the  Jesuits,  answered,  "  Give  me  then  security 
for  my  life."  The  security  he  found  in  his  unbelief 
■was  assassination. 

The  Papists  are  fixed  in  their  errors,  and  there  is  a 
necessity  lieth  on  them  never  to  change.  The  pope 
and  a  general  council  have  already  decreed  that  the 
pope  may  depose  Protestant  princes,  and  absolve  their 
subjects.  To  give  up  which  abominable  error  is  to 
cease  to  be  Papists;  so  that  all  people  must  necessar- 
ily despair  of  their  amendment. 


END 


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